Serenity Trails
by TamashaToko
Summary: First stuck in an arranged marriage with a demon, second, forced to be a suburbian housewife...two factors that could ruin her life, how could anyone think this could work? [KagSess SanInu]
1. Obligations of a Third Kind

Chapter 1: Obligations of a Third Kind

To think she lived in a time of equality and acceptance.

Hah! Those might all be lies just as well, because she thought she had also lived in a time where you married the man you loved rather than the one picked out for you.

Unbelievable! Her kind had approached a new century, but somehow she found herself stuck in an arranged marriage.

Just because her grandfather knew of a man who was interested in a wife without all the pressures of dating and conflict, and her mother agreed that it would be good for her she was being forced into such a life. It also helped the decision along that the arrogant bastard, who thought he was too good to date and find love, also provided a dowry of money and property.

How could her family betray her in such a way? She was only 17, and her wedding would be on her birthday to insure they still had guilt free control of her until the ceremony. When she demanded to know why such an injustice had been placed on her she was told that a city-girl such as herself would have a hard time finding love, and it would be easier to fall in love after committing to family.

It didn't matter how much she argued, they had won. It was Grandfather who had made the decision since her family's shrine, that they'd been guardians of, was having budget problems while her mom just didn't think straight anymore.

Even if they wanted to change their minds, it was too late. All the wedding preparations had been made, and Sesshoumaru Murashu, her fiancée whom she never met, had already bought her a house in the country.

The country, she wasn't too thrilled about that decision either. It wasn't as though she was one of those high maintenance city girls that were afraid of humidity or bugs, or anything she just didn't like having to rely on vehicles to get to a store when there versus public transportation, or a department store that carried everything only one block away.

"Tomorrow I'm doomed," she muttered in her room looking out the window.

"What was that Kagome?" her mother had entered the room with a smile despite the fact that she had sentenced her daughter to a horrible life sentence.

"Nothing," she mumbled before taking a bite out of a chocolate chip cookie.

She had about seven or eight of them in the last hour of sulking. Maybe the wedding dress wouldn't fit her by tomorrow if she kept at it. The dress would tear and the wedding would be delayed.

Or maybe he would be so disgusted with her appearance he would change his mind. Had this mystery man even seen her picture?

"I think you should shower tonight before bed Kagome. The wedding is quite early and the preparations will take a while."

"Fine."

"And smile. I know you might hate me right now, but I bet you will look back at it and-

"Mom this isn't one of your romance novels where the woman falls in love with her arranged husband, and why must we live in the country? I thought Sesshoumaru worked here somewhere."

"He does honey, but people like Sesshoumaru enjoy homes where it's peace and quiet. Kind of like a nice get away from the hustle of the office."

"Have you met him?"

"A few times yes."

"What's he like?"

Her back was already turned ready to leave the room, "You'll find out in the morning dear."

She would find out in the morning! After that it would be too late; not that she had much of a choice now. Still it would be nice to know who her country prison warden would be.

He had many things on his plate for tomorrow. Now that the floor plans for the Takeda building were finished they would have to be faxed over to his clients and await their decision, he planned to have breakfast with his firm to discuss his latest ventures, he would be married, and then he had to have an important scale prepared for a presentation.

That was right. Tomorrow would be his wedding day.

It was a good thing that word of what he looked for in a woman had gotten out, because it made his hectic life as a pressed architect a lot easier.

All he wanted was an attractive wife who would do errands in exchange for a comfortable lifestyle while providing him with children to continue his blood line, and that's what he had waiting for him tomorrow.

He hadn't had time to look at any pictures of her, but he had been told Kagome Higurashi was quite beautiful, and she was quite young.

Young wives made happy mothers. He had read that somewhere.

He remembered now, not that he should have been thinking about literature when he had some important meetings to be scheduled. It had been said in Romeo and Juliet by Juliet's betrothed.

The theory had never been proven though, because that stupid girl had to fall in love, and as result she died. If she had just done as her parents requested her life would have been a lot easier. Love wasn't worth cutting life short for.

Such a useless story. Then again since when could humans write epic realistic tales?

If only his kind wasn't on the verge of going extinct then perhaps someone would find the time to write a real story about fear, lust, and honor.

He wondered if his fiancée knew what she was getting into, but he doubted it. Her grandfather knew what he was, but that senile fool probably didn't tell anyone. Not even most of his workers knew that he was indeed a youkai.

Before resting he took out his schedule book to see what he had planned. He had a house now that he had just purchased, that would be change. Usually he stayed in many different hotels since it was paid for by the company as well as any food he consumed; meaning he was already pretty wealthy even if it wasn't for being paid well, because he had never had the need to withdraw any money from his savings.

His house had been his first purchase ever and he cleared some frivolous things out of his schedule for tomorrow night so he could visit. It was also customary in both his culture and his fiancée's that they would mate after being bound together.

He still couldn't believe he would be marrying a human; a creature he had always thought to be lowly even though his work served them. He had always wanted a female youkai who knew how to the proper mate, but it had been years ago since the youkai were banished from human areas and forced to live in the woods. While banished they held deep malice for the humans that were otherwise weak and in no position of power if it wasn't for their high priced weapons.

He should have been out there with them plotting revenge, but instead he did what he could to live in their society by getting documented and getting a job. Now he was successful. It was better to useful to the world than a filthy animal out in the forest any day; even if it meant answering to those weaker than him.

At least with a human wife he would have someone to show dominance over. Both him and human males had something to agree upon, and that was his that his home was his castle.

The Murashu Higurashi wedding day had come, oh joy.

Sango walked down the hallway fearing the worst would happen in a few minutes. Knowing Kagome she would be fast asleep and waking her would be a huge war in itself let alone getting her prepared for the ceremony.

Honestly her friend should have been happy that a handsome rich man was willingly to marry her without playing a frivolous dating game.

She would jump at a chance like that. She was out of high school now and had gotten through boot camp to become a demon slayer, and despite what her friends had said, her looks must have not been appealing enough, because she had yet to find a boyfriend.

Right now she would just like to find someone to have long conversations with, and then get married to so she could have children and not die alone. Then again what man would want her? Men seemed to always have to be the one in control of every situation, but they wouldn't get that with her.

Ever since her twelfth birthday she had been an aspiring slayer that would be in charge of protecting the city from any youkai that could try anything. She had learned to show respect for the life forms she killed by not keeping track and making a game of it, but she would estimate that she had killed more than a thousand so far, and that was excluding the three or four taiyoukai she that she had slayed with her brother and father years ago when her father was a general.

Yep, too much blood for any decent man to stand.

She had no intention of quitting though. She made that vow three years ago when a spider demon had killed her parents and brother Kohaku. The spider demon had got away, but she had a feeling that if she sent enough of it's buddies back to hell it would draw it out, as well as make her feel a bit better.

"Kagome." Sango tried lightly knocking on her friend's door at first even though she knew that would have woken up to that in a million years.

She smiled when she saw the girl snoozing beneath her pink blankets. At least she had Kagome, and that was a friendship that would never falter.

Not only was she there for her after her family was slaughtered, but Kagome also begged her parents into letting her live with them at the shrine.

"I love you like a sister Kagome," Sango spoke softly at first before standing up and jerking the blanket away, "But you need to get your ass up!"

"Leave me alone," Kagome cried not caring that she had fallen to the floor with her blanket, "too early."

"Have you forgotten that today is your wedding?" Sango was prepared with a water bottle that she had at her side, that she quickly splashed on to Kagome's face, "I know it will be hard, but maybe it will be good for you."

Kagome groaned. "Thanks for reminding me Sango…now can you please turn around while I jump out of the window."

"If you do that then do us all a favor and get dressed first, that way if you do survive you'll be ready for the ceremony."

She didn't think that was too amusing and just grumbled about it as she helped her adopted sister gather everything needed for the preparations. Hair accessories, make up, the dress, the shoes, and everything in between.

It wasn't long before her mother also came in with some supplies and got into a fight with her daughter once again about forcing her into this.

"Stop complaining Kagome," Sango sighed brushing her hair, "I wouldn't mind this one bit if I was you. In the end all men really want is what your husband wants anyways. Hell, I've never been on a date before and I've figured that much out."

"Sango." Kagome's mother smiled, "I never knew you thought about it that way, and technically you are my daughter and I do know another man who has decided to just mimic Sesshoumaru's ways and-

"No!" her friend shouted, "Sango don't fall for it! If I get stuck in an arranged marriage and you get stuck in an arranged marriage then before you know it everyone will be doing it and we might as well be living in the feudal era."

"At least back then men weren't slobs trying to burp the alphabet while acting tough. Until, of course, a demon raid takes place and my kind are depended on."

"Can't argue with that logic I guess," Kagome appeared to be remembering a few of her past dates.

"Anyways Mrs. Higurashi if you can find out anymore about that offer I guess I could look into it. At the rate I'm going an arranged marriage will probably be the best I can ever do."

Her mother looked simply delighted. "Absolutely Sango. Kagome why can't you be more like her? No one go anywhere…I'm going to get some flowers to put in her hair."

It was dead silent when the two girls were left in the room. Sango knew Kagome was going to be in a bad mood today, but like this?

"Come on Kagome me and your mom are just trying to make you feel better."

Her friend sighed in a way that signaled she was ready to be mature about the whole thing. "I know, and I'm sorry with how I've been acting. I guess this is for the best. Somewhere out there I'm sure there is a girl my age starving on the streets while I'm getting the offer to live in the suburbs and have my family well financed in exchange for marriage."

That was the Kagome she knew! Always looking on the bright side of everything.

It was true though that there was no sense in complaining since there was on control over the situation, but Sango did feel sorry for her friend because there was one thing that hadn't been said all day that she needed to be said.

"Oh, and Happy Birthday Kagome."

Kagome's face lit up, "Thanks Sango, at least you remembered."

Frustration was wearing on him as he sat in an uncomfortable chair waiting for somebody to do something.

That damn brother of his. Why did he need a woman of all things? Didn't he have everything he needed? Money, power, and an overall acceptance from humans?

His dog-like ears twitched annoyed as he watched bridesmaids scurry about to prepare the bride for the wedding. Of course he was given strange looks as they passed, because unlike his brother he would never get anywhere close to respect from humans.

He was lower then what humans were to Sesshoumaru, and he was lower than the lesser demons that inhabited the woods. He was a half-breed.

The only reason he was allowed to walk the streets was because his human mother had done all the necessary paper work one needed to travel the outside world. It didn't matter though. Both he and she were horribly ridiculed back then, and now rocks were thrown at him on the sidewalk even after she was dead.

He wouldn't to go to the woods when it got bad and just sit in a tree and curse the human world, because the demons would just continue to attack him to prove how weak he was.

There was no place for him anywhere.

"Finish breakfast with all those richy snobby humans?" Inuyasha dared to ask knowing his brother was behind him after arriving to the Higurashi shrine.

"It isn't any business of yours hanyou," he noted rudely, irritated after being fit for a human tuxedo when he would have rather worn a kimono like his kind were use to.

"Can I go then? Like I want to watch you find a fuck buddy. I have better things to do."

"Like what?"

"Well-

"You have nothing."

It was true, but it was hard to hear out loud. All Inuyasha could do was growl, which alarmed some humans that had clearly never been around any demon blooded creature before except maybe for the amazing two headed snake demon at the zoo.

"Where do you even live at Inuyasha? In the woods where you are constantly in a fight with the others? Or perhaps in the hanyou slums where you belong?"

"Shut up!"

"I could say the same to you."

Sesshoumaru had grown tired with his brother by this point and made his way towards the Higurashi home. The wedding would begin in about twenty minutes, and still he hadn't seen his bride. It would be better to take a look at her than be pissed off by his half-brother.

After meaningless small talk with both the grandfather and the mother, who was surprised, but didn't seem to pay much mind at the fact that he was a demon made his way to where his bride was getting her make up applied. Of course the mother joined him, because now that his race was going to be a surprise to the daughter. Things would need explained to her.

In a way it excited him. It would be a human who would learn to serve him instead of the other way around.

"Hey!" a brown haired girl snapped when he entered the bedroom, "No one is to see Kagome yet."

"It's quite alright Sango." The mother smiled, "this is Mr. Murashu, Kagome's fiancée."

He noticed the woman who had been sitting in a chair with her back turned quickly tensed up.

That was the one who would reside in his home and bear his children.

It was the brown haired girl who was most upset though.

"Kag- you're- marrying a youkai?"

His soon-to-be-bride quickly turned around and also had a look of surprise on her face.

Such things looked foreign on her face. It was as though her face was made for smiles and looks of happiness.

He discovered that he'd also been misinformed. Higurashi was attractive with the right things in the right areas, but beautiful? She was no princess. The white flowers dancing in her ebony hair as well as the white dress with diamonds sewed in at the breast, that he'd paid for, made her look lovely, but still didn't look right on her.

His eyes once again trailed to the one his bride had addressed as Sango. She looked very livid to find out that he was a youkai. Why was that? It had no effect on her.

It didn't matter though, so he wiped it from his mind.

"Sango I didn't know," Kagome told her friend, "mom there must be a mistake. He's not even a human."

A mistake? Was the girl prejudice against his kind like the rest?

It didn't matter. After today she would be his, and she would learn what to say and what not to say as well is how to act.

There were two things Kagome wanted to do. Comfort Sango because she looked a bit distressed, and go off on her mother for engaging her to a youkai without telling her.

She wasn't prejudice or anything, not at all. She even believed it would be great for the intelligent youkai such as Sesshoumaru to come out of the woods and live among them.

The problem was she was a bit scared of the new lifestyle being put in front of her. Youkai had different habits than humans didn't they? Not to mention the strength and claws.

"Sango it will be okay."

Sango didn't have a problem killing demons, but being around them was a different story.

Her family wasn't randomly killed by a lesser demon, their deaths were plotted. So of course this was hard for her.

"Sorry Kagome-chan," Sango whispered, "I shouldn't be acting this way. I didn't know you were marrying a youkai."

"Come Sango," her mother motioned, "let's leave these two alone for a bit. It might be nice for them to get to know each other a bit before the ceremony."

Kagome waited for her friend and mother to disappear before rudely turning her back on her fiancée to readjust her make-up, not that it needed it. She could tell this annoyed him, because there was a light growl.

"You will look me in the eyes when told."

Kagome still didn't face him, "I don't take orders from sicko freaks who take in young human brides."

She thought she had laid down the rules, but he had no problem from sneaking up from behind and tugging on to her hair.

"I will become both your husband and your mate, and you will show me respect."

"Let go!"

"Gladly."

He did so, and she turned around to face him like he had requested earlier.

Such golden eyes, they matched that stoic face of his quite well.

"Like you have discovered I am a demon and you will do what's expected of you."

He was ready to retreat since the wedding would be taking place soon. Damn him! Not only did he barge in on her in such a way, but he'd come in, ordered her around, and was now leaving.

"Wait just a minute!" she charged out of her bedroom and into the back yard where he was making his way to the alter.

"Kagome," her mother gasped, "no one's supposed to see you yet!"

"Mom how could you let me marry a demon! Don't we come from a long line of mikos and priest? This will sully that."

"Kagome you never cared about any of that stuff before, so go inside until called."

A miko?

Sesshoumaru watched from the alter as his fiancée was wrestled back into the house by her bridesmaids.

Such defiance. This hadn't gone like he'd expected. He just wanted a woman who would be obedient and do as he asked.

His blood rushed after seeing how she acted in public. That would be a problem he would have to correct. Actually it could be fun. Maybe he could make a game out of it.

The fact that she was a priestess made it more exciting, and eased the embarrassment of having a human mate. Sure, she wasn't a warrior or a pure soul for that matter, but he could sense the power inside of her that tempted his youki to subdue.

That feeling stirring inside of him made him see this situation in a new light. Tonight he planned to just consummate their union like traditions commanded while hoping that she would become pregnant, but now he was curious as to how this fiery virgin would be in bed.

The wedding had gone by quick enough for everyone's liking. Kagome had wanted it over with so bad that she had no problem receiving a kiss from that demon.

He seemed to be able to read her mind and knew what her wishes were, because the kiss wasn't too passionate or anything, but it was believable. Now it was time for the reception, which she wished would last forever. She wasn't looking forward to being dragged away to her new home in the country with him.

He was polite to her as well now that they were in public. He even pulled out her chair before she sat down at the head of the table ready to eat some lunch.

"I will return before sundown." His voice was nice and silky when not trying to dominate over her, "have your personal things packed by then."

"Wait!"

She quickly scolded herself for sounding like she needed him, but it was a bit strange that he would leave his own reception before it even began.

It was actually kind of rude of him. Every girl looked forward to their wedding with the one they loved, and he'd already ruined that, and now he was going to take off and make her look alone and stupid.

He spared her an annoyed glance with those eyes of his, "Yes?"

She had just met him, and she didn't like what she saw, so what did she care if he went or not? Things would be easier without him at the moment.

"Never mind."

She watched him leave before digging into her food kind of hoping he got into a car accident. Not the kind that would kill him, but the kind that caused him to get amnesia and forget he was married. That would work out just fine.

"He doesn't seem to be that bad of a demon," Sango commented to make up for tensing up earlier like she had at the sight of him.

"Sango no one expects you to get along with any demons of any kind. Just forget about me and him, I am worried about you."

Sango stared down at her cake dangerously, "Worried about me? Kagome I'm the demon slayer here and you're the demon's toy."

"Your point?"

Before Kagome could move Sango playfully smashed a piece of cake in Kagome's face, "My point is that you should be worrying about all the fun I will be having not babysitting you."

They fought about the whole cake thing for a while, but since her husband wasn't there to do the traditional 'smash the cake in the face thing' it was kind of fun. She would miss Sango so much.

Too bad the last conversation they found themselves in was one that revolved around Sesshoumaru's brother.

Kagome had made the mistake of introducing herself to Inuyasha before he left since he was the only family her husband had, and that hadn't been such a good idea. He wasn't cruel like Sesshoumaru, but he'd also been a jerk. It had been somewhat funny though as well.

It had all been a good escape, but when she was forced upstairs to pack she was reminded of what she was getting herself into.

Sesshoumaru Murashu. He was a demon, and she was his human wife. Not only would she be a homemaker in the suburbs like Inuyasha had taunted her about, but she would be his possession unable to defy him.

"Why me?" she asked watching him come to the door.


	2. Home Honey Moon

**Serenity Trails Chapter 2:** Home Honey Moon 

**Author: **TamashaToko

**Rating: **M

**Pairing: **Kag/Sess Inu/San

**Notes: **Sorry to those who first looked at this fic and discovered my notes and the chapter were botched up together. I'll make sure that doesn't happen again, and if you asked me a good question in your review for chapter one you might see where I answered it at the ending of the chapter one, because it made more sense than to answer your question on the next chapter where your answers might be discovered…so yeah I think about three of you need to go back to chapter 1 and look at that. Oh and thank you very much for reviewing, I am now inspired to continue.

* * *

They were two very different people.

She had figured that out when she broke the ice by suggesting the grab some coffee to both break the silence on their long drive and not rudely fall asleep; even though he was the rude one not bothering to stay for the reception or allow her any time to say a few more good-byes before going off to live her new life.

A frappachino overflowing with whipped cream was what she ordered while he took a plain black coffee. Honestly, who went to Starbucks and got a expensive cup of black coffee? The most boring man alive, that's who.

"Do you want any cream or sugar?"

She bothered asking knowing he would only respond with a shake of the head.

"They have chocolate flavored creamer," she noted with a smile that her husband just did not deserve from her.

"I don't like chocolate." Was his cold reply.

Kagome sighed with regret after filling her veins with caffeine. Great, now that she had established he was the most boring man on the face of the planet she was stuck sitting awake with him for what would be another hour or two.

"Are you finished?" Sesshoumaru had his cup finished and was ready to leave not even giving her a chance to accidentally get whipped cream on her nose with her second drink like she often did.

"We have all night."

"I have work in the morning."

Kagome should have been thankful that her husband would be at work all the time, so really she didn't need to get along with him, but still it was the thought of living with him that had her on edge. It had been made clear it would be only his paycheck supporting them, so what was she was suppose to do? She'd never been the type to just sit around and find ways to entertain herself.

She took her drink into the vehicle with her and fumbled around with the radio. Of course he didn't have any music channels programmed in along with anything near sports; not that she was a fan, but most guys gentle to out right crazy had a sport team they enjoyed keeping taps on.

They seemed to be normal news channels, and most of them were a bit too much on the conservative side, but after a wide range of static she discovered a station that wasn't in any language she'd ever heard before. Why did he have that programmed in?

"They're youkai codes," he eventually told her after another five minutes of just listening to the chatter, "the more smarter ones that live in the city use it to contact each other and their counterparts in the woods."

"Youkai like you? I've heard these messages are used to plan attacks and such."

Her thoughts began to run away with how this could be worsen her situation. What if she was married to some kind of youkai warlord that planned on destroying civilization as she knew it and slaughtered all those she ever cared about including her?

"I have no interest in interfering with youkai politics."

Of course those thoughts of hers had been stupid. Like Sesshoumaru would ever have an interest in anything than making her bored.

Deciding that she would only get direct answers from him she might as well try and discover what her future was.

"Where are we going to live?"

"A community called Serenity Trails," he answered shutting off the station clearly displeased with it at the moment.

Yes, that had suburbia written all over it.

"Sounds pleasant," she lied.

"It's quiet."

"Kind of like you?"

She couldn't hide the truth any longer.

"Kind of like you're not."

"Because I have a personality!" she snapped back, "you're officially the most boring person ever alive! So what's wrong with talking?"

"Save your strength and voice for when we get home."

Why would he say that? Unless-

Kagome's face glowed bright red as she thought about it. It had become quite obvious by now that despite this being an arranged marriage Sesshoumaru was a traditionalist, and all marriage requirements would be met.

Wedding ceremony, check. Reception, check. New home, check. A virgin consummating her marriage with her husband, damn it!

Not only was he planning on taking her when they hardly knew each other, but then again she'd seen enough of him to write his biography, but he'd mocked it. Save her strength and voice!? Not if she somehow managed to fight the sugar rush and fell asleep.

"I will make sure to wake you when we arrive."

"Can't I just sleep in here? I mean the thing is comfortable and big enough."

It was as though all the loud traffic of the highway ceased just for his devious reply, "You won't escape me this night Kagome."

She would have fought back with another remark, but the seriousness in his voice was very distinguishable, and she knew it would be best not too. Tonight she would loose her innocence, and all at the price of supporting her family and securing her future.

After this night nobody had better say she owned them anything.

Even someone as uncaring about such situations as him felt as though perhaps he was being a little harsh on the girl who just turned into an adult this day…that reminded him perhaps he would get her a gift of some kind since her fool parents were more concerned with marrying her off than the anniversary of her birth.

Of course once she moved in with him she could have whatever she desired, but perhaps lavishing some kind of kindness upon her would build trust and make their consummation easier.

For brief moments before the wedding ceremony after confirming she was indeed a virgin he thought about holding it off despite how traditional he had been, but then he discovered she was a miko.

Before discovering that kind of information he would have dropped her family's proposal quickly if there was any chance he could found a female youkai, but now it was different. She had no miko skills or any interest in her heritage whatsoever, but still the thought of claiming one sent adrenaline pumping through his blood. The thought of subduing the spiritual aura that surrounded her and bend to his will was all he needed.

His glance traveled to her sleeping form.

His intentions should have been obvious to her. She would take care of his home, their future children he wanted, and give resolve to his urges.

Though after the conversations he had shared with her he had a feeling she wouldn't serve him without question. This would indeed prove to be more exciting.

After another hour or so of driving his newest possession awoke to see the wooden scene covered in ivy that read 'Serenity Trails'.

Like many neighborhoods out here he had to wait for a security guard working in a booth to recognize his car and open the gate. It seemed that out here humans worked the booths; obviously he wasn't paying enough for this home. Usually demon slayers were used since these peaceful neighborhoods were so close to the woods where danger dwelled.

"A gate?" she questioned after yawning.

"To keep the unwanted out, and if given enough money by me to keep you in."

He took pleasure in watching her eyes widen despite being half asleep.

Yes, that's how he would have her. Threatening the only thing she had left, freedom.

The only thing annoying about living in a place like this was the fact that the community was so big and filled with so many houses that looked no different from the one next door he had to carefully read street signs, luckily his youkai vision made it so they appeared easily enough.

"Kind of like a maze."

If she thought her babbling was going to distract him and protect her for the night, she was dead wrong.

He knew he was being kind of cruel to the future mother of his children and someone who deserved his respect, but every time she felt scared or angry her aura crackled at him. He had to tame her; that was the only way he would feel at peace.

They pulled in front of a their new home. Not much to see on the outside, it was painted a boring tan and the only thing that made it different from the house next door was that the driveway was bigger and the backyard had a white fence made from wood rather than a metal one.

This would be their home? How boring! She hated it from first seeing it…it wasn't going to be her home, but instead her prison.

She knew she wasn't even going to get a chance to explore it as Sesshoumaru quickly opened both the car door and then the house door for her to get in. No doubt, she was being led to the bedroom.

As she passed the living room and the kitchen she noticed there was a few simple pieces of furniture thrown about just to take up space before the place decorated. She already guessed that would be her job.

She was never the type to read into too much of what her aura was up too even though she could clearly see it and feel it. Her miko powers were something she'd never been too interested in, because before she knew her husband was going to be a youkai she thought priestesses and their purifying powers were outdated. Now she regretted ever being born one after remembering what Sango once told her about auras calling out to youkai who needed to mate.

"Is this going to be our bedroom?" she stupidly asked when they entered the master bedroom that did indeed contain a bed.

He was a rude one, yes her question might have been obvious, but he could have at least acknowledged her existence or something. Instead her unceremoniously pushed her into the bed knowing that if he didn't she wouldn't be anywhere near it, which he assumed right.

"I don't think I can do this," she admitted finally.

"I think you can."

The sound of falling cloth as his closed were removed echoed in her ear before she rolled over on to her back just incase he went for her top, "I'm sorry…I'm just…I"

"I expect you to be a virgin," he whispered in her ear before he began to kiss down and his fangs lightly grazed her neck.

She felt a rise in her power, and that's when his motions began softer as his silky voice assaulted her once again, "I will not take you unwillingly Kagome, but if I don't claim your aura it will be painful for both of us."

She didn't know if she indeed would have taken pain over this unwanted pleasure, but there was something about his voice that enticed her. It told her that she had no reason to fear him, and that things were going to be all right.

Things would be all right, all she had to do was let them.

* * *

Maybe Kagome had been right about this, and by doing this the world of romance would be forever dead. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe it was possible that no matter how much women claimed to not need anyone and they just dated for the thrill of it in hopes of a small bit of love and companionship, there would always be a part of them that just wanted to get married and have children.

She wasn't in the same situation as Kagome though, she decided to actually meet with her potential husband before committing to anything.

So it was kind of like dating, but the only odd thing was that the man had requested to meet after midnight in this run down diner that's coffee seemed to have a funny taste.

Why was she so nervous about this? She had never really been too interested in guys before, but yet she was afraid to order in food just incase she threw up.

"Oh, so you're Sango. You were at that wedding."

She recognized that gruff voice from the reception he spoke about, and her suspicions were confirmed when she turned around to meet the sun kissed eyes of Inuyasha Murashu.

She tensed up wishing she had one of her weapons to reach for as though her Hiraikotsu sitting at home was some sort of security blanket. Inuyasha wasn't that bad when she'd been hanging out with him and Kagome, but still hanyou or not he was the enemy.

"Chill," was all he said as his eyelids lowered showing he was bored as hell.

"Inuyasha," she tried to keep her confident voice from faltering even though she'd been surprised another Murashu brother wanted a human bride, "you're looking for a wife?"

"Actually I just wanted to see what kind of pathetic women actually showed up to these kind of things."

That jerk! He was just using this as an excuse to screw around?

"Hey!" she shouted before he had a chance to leave, "I have work in the morning and I didn't come here this late for an idiot like you to play practical jokes."

"Feh, why do you want to get caught up in an arranged marriage anyways? You want to be some sort of household slave like Kagome?"

"I can't live with the Higurashi's forever and demon slaying doesn't exactly get the bills paid."

His eyes narrowed, "Oh, so you're one of them? Sorry about your luck, but us hanyou's don't do well with your kind. See ya around bitch."

What did he mean by that? First of all he said it as though maybe he would have taken a bride, but then top it off he insulted her.

She watched as her enemy turned his back, bad mistake.

No demon scrum dare insulted her.

"What'd you say half-breed?" she demanded not caring who saw her or screamed when she brandished a knife from her boot.

"You have to be kidding me," he rolled his eyes before grabbing her wrist causing the weapon to fall to the floor, "you know, what man would ever want a knife carrying psycho?"

She gave him the most hateful look for still locking on to her wrist while taunting her, but as she put up her defenses his words stuck to her. It was true, no man would want her. The best she could do was get into an arranged marriage like Kagome's and quit her job.

She couldn't do that, she had to avenge her family. If she married her husband would have to accept that.

Inuyasha was clearly waiting for her to be cool before he released her, but while being trapped she noticed his hands shook a lot. What was wrong with him? Was he cold? No, it was the middle of summer and fairly hot in this place, and he wasn't scared of anything.

"Your hands are shaking," she stated the obvious when she feel on her rear.

"Whatever," he growled, "I'm out of here."

"Fine," she sheathed her knife, "I don't exactly know what you have against demon slayers, but we keep things safe around here so that's nothing to-

"Safe!? I'm a citizen just like you, but yet I find myself attacked every fucking day by both your kind even after I don't do anything and those bastard demons that somehow slip your attention!"

Sango admitted that she'd seen some cruelty towards hanyou by both sides, but none of it could be fault of the demon slayers could it? No, that wasn't possible. All of them had taken an oath to do what's best for everyone of human blood.

"Well if you wouldn't do crap to get in trouble then-

His hands shook more as a growl erupted from him, "You ever hear of Terrace Valley?"

"Well, no, all I know is some slayers do rounds there because it's close to the woods."

"It's where us hanyous have been banished to thrive since somehow this 'fair' land of yours doesn't seem to want to give us jobs or loans. I say you should visit sometime and see how your fellow slayers handle this place."

He was finished with her, knowing the more he spook and she replied with an out right lie the more angry he would get, and he didn't need that.

He turned his back on her and left the diner. Dumb girl! She didn't need to be stuck in any fucking arranged marriage, she was a slayer, and a strong confident one at that. Any man would just break her of that spirit and she wouldn't be the same person.

But what did he care? If she wanted to be an idiot he would let her.

He looked down at his hands and noticed she had been right. They were actually shaking pretty bad.

It must have been that shit he shot up earlier. He probably took too much strong of a dose even though it was just some kind of human thing that he got a hold of.

"Need something stronger?"

That voice. He was in the alleyway when he heard it.

It was able to rise so much anger in him after just hearing three simple words. It was enough to blind him with rage and remember one name that meant nothing to him but loss and regret, Kikyo.

"Naraku get the fuck out of here, or I'll pull your intestines out through your-

"This is my territory hanyou, and unless you have business here I'll have you removed."

Naraku was a man who could at both times look like one of your best understanding friends or your enemy who had a taste for blood.

"I'll never have business with you again you fuck. Not after what happened to her!"

The last time Inuyasha saw Naraku in person without exchanging colorful words through his underlings was when he bought something off of him called a shikon shard. It was a drug that would increase something in the demon blood that created the ultimate high.

Even though he told her not too, since the drugs were still dangerous, but never had the chance of being fatal to anyone demon blooded Kikyo was also a bit of a junkie. And when Naraku mentioned that they would both enjoy the pink crystallized powder she took it upon herself to give it a try.

It killed her slowly and painfully, at least that's what he heard from her family's doctor, but yet even though he was in the same room he was never there for her. That drug temporarily turned him into a red eyed youkai that was too busy enjoying the daze he was in to even notice the blood that dripped from his beloved nose's before her suffering began.

"Forgive me Inuyasha, but it's not as though my products can be government tested and approved. You were one of my best customers, it'd be a shame for you to hold this grudge."

"Shut the fuck up!" his fist clenched, "you made it sound as though she could take it, you bastard!"

"Did I? Oh well, just another misinformed human."

How dare he!

Inuyasha turned around ready to kill the bastard before an appendage appeared from Naraku's back and stabbed him in the shoulder.

It wasn't fatal or nothing, and he would heal from the gaping wound fast enough, but if he did anything else stupid he might loose too much blood.

"Such a shame," Naraku turned his back as two other demons appeared in his place that would finish off torturing the hanyou, "once you get over your frivolous loss perhaps you should consider coming to work for me."

"Like that'd ever happen!" he yelled even after some bastard by the name of Goshinki used his claws to slice up his arm.

"Such a shame," he repeated before disappearing, he had more important things to tend too.

* * *

It was now over, and he was already gone by the time she awoke.

It nothing like she imagined, in both good ways and bad.

For some reason she expected him to act like a monster, and take her without mercy, but in reality he had been quite gentle. He had both soothed her nervous energy and pleased her.

But the morning after had not been what she expected either.

Wasn't the husband suppose to cuddle with her upon awaking as they stayed silent for several precious moments before exchanging vows of love?

No, that was the movies, and Sesshoumaru wasn't the kind to ever love her. At least he respected her though. There was nothing else she could really ask of him, and really nothing else she wanted from him.

He was just to obnoxious to ever love.

"Hungry," he noted out loud since no one was around to hear her and something had to be louder than her stomach.

Of course there was nothing in the fridge. She was the jobless wife, it was her job to stock it. She already saw on the counter that Sesshoumaru had left her what would be her suburbia life lines. A cell phone, and an expensive one at that with many features, and a bank card in her name that she guessed would have enough money in it to sustain her.

She memorized both her card information and the pin number that he'd written on paper that would have to be shredded later. She would also have to buy better furniture and wallpaper since this house's interior had nothing much going for it.

What the hell was wrong with her!?

Was she accepting this lifestyle? Was she just going to sit around and order furniture before cooking her husband dinner?

What did he expect of her? She couldn't do any of that, and she'd been damned if she even tried.

Well, okay, she would order furniture just so her new home that she'd be spending her boring day in wasn't as ugly as hell. She found out that wasn't too hard to take care of once her credit card information was released. She didn't even have to lift a finger since this expensive service would send their own decorators over to take care of everything.

So even her chores were boring.

Her cell phone than began to ring from her pocket. The ring tone was something delightful, but somehow she knew it wasn't the default setting for the new phone. So he was even choosing her ring tones now.

"Yeah," she knew it was Sesshoumaru since he was the only one who knew the number.

"When will dinner be done?" he dared to ask.

"Dinner? Sesshoumaru let's get one thing clear. I have no clue on how to cook, I've never even attempted to go near the stove."

"Learn by tonight then," was his only response.

"Umm…no, you just can't learn."

"Are you defying your husband Kagome?"

"If that's what I'm doing by saying I cannot cook then I guess I am. Can't we just order out?"

There was a brief pause before he finally responded, "I will allow it this night, I am in no mood for experiments."

They exchanged polite good-byes before she hung up with a frown.

Just great, now she'd have to attend a cooking class since he didn't want a trying flaw, but yet a master peace. It went against everything she stood for in her fight against the suburbs, but what else was there? She didn't have any friends in this neck of the woods to call her a hypocrite and a quiet rude Sesshoumaru was better than an angry Sesshoumaru.

She hadn't exactly met the angry Sesshoumaru yet, and she didn't want too. So she went ahead and ordered out from a pricey Italian restaurant after picking up a few snacks and such just to fill the fridge.

He came back home, oh, that was nice.

No more hotel rooms with people gawking at him for his demon features. He had a place to go, and someone to turn too.

So they weren't in love, and his expectations for her were great, but what else did she have to do except please him?

Still maybe she could serve as a companion at least until another bond could form between them. That probably wouldn't happen until the time they had a child, but at least it was something.

"Kagome," he called out to his wife.

"Sesshoumaru," he heard her giggle from the kitchen.

She was happy? What's up with that? When he talked to her on the phone earlier she sounded miserable.

It should have been a good thing that his wife found something to entertain herself with, but it was also suspicious. He didn't think she would cheat on him or such, and even if she did she wouldn't be so stupid about it, but something that made her happy would probably have the opposite effect on him.

"What is that?" he asked right away when entering the room she _should _have been cooking in.

Kagome was smiling as she sat on the floor with a white tiger of some sorts that was licking her on the face. It was just a cub, but it could still do some damage to her with those teeth.

"It's a baby white tiger."

"I can see that," he dully noted, "but what's it doing here?"

She giggled again as she was licked in the face, "Did you know that our next door neighbor was a youkai? Well after I got back from the store I was pretty much assaulted by welcoming committees and such."

Yes he was fully aware of Amara, their next door neighbor who was a youkai. The fact that there was another of his kind in the neighborhood was what made him consider Serenity Trails in the first place.

That, and he planned to do business with Amara in the future.

At first glance the woman would appear to be an ookami, but one who knew her for more than five seconds would notice the fox tail she adorned as well as the golden colored eyes of an inuyoukai.

She was a demon surgeon, even though she tried to keep that information secret from humans and such, because there would probably be some law against it. The woman had a talent of changing species without causing much harm to the body.

Sesshoumaru had taken a keen interest in her once he realized he should take a human bride.

A few months ago Amara had confirmed all the questions he had. Yes, she could turn Kagome into a full inuyoukai, and his children wouldn't be hanyou.

He decided to spring all this on his wife after she got more use to his presence and her new home, but there was still the chance that she might deny the idea. That would be her problem though, she would soon realize that indeed he was a traditionalist, and she would become the obedient house wife he desired.

"Anyways Amara, the next door neighbor, I guess was taking care of a litter of tigers for her friend. I didn't know you could own such exotic pets, but I guess everything is possible for a youkai like you and her. But she said I could have one, isn't that cool? I've named him Suvjo."

"Yes, we have had different sorts of pets," he wanted to answer any questions she had about youkai while still giving her a disappointed look, "were you planning on consulting me?"

"Well," she sat innocently petting the cub as it purred, "I've never seen such a tamed animal, and I've always liked tigers, and we have a yard don't we? Don't most people out in places like these have dogs?"

"That isn't a dog."

"I know that, I'm not dumb, but anyways I like him, can we keep him? Please?"

She reminded him of a child, but a happy child. It was better to have a happy wife in his home carrying his children than one distressed from all his expectations and such; even if he did detest such an animal.

"You may keep it," was all he said, "but you are to walk it and feed it, and clean up after it."

Another good thing was that it would keep her busy for a while. Both of them seemed to keep things in order and wouldn't trash the house, but now she would have something to clean up after.

"Thanks," she hugged her little cub.

"Kagome," he then said glad that him calling out to her was no longer one of her pet peeves, "shouldn't the table be set?"

"Oh right," she stood up and did what she was suppose too.

The table, that would probably soon be replaced since it wasn't enough to fill the dining room, was covered with it's expensive table cloth, she laid down fine dishes making sure that the fork and spoon were on the sides that corresponded with their hand alignment. Then after finding out he enjoyed white wine she poured them both their favorite drink as well as a glass of water. Now if only it was a good home cooked meal rather than something that came out of a plastic container.

Still, if all it took was a tiger to make her see her place, then he fully welcomed the new pet into his home.

Both of his pets.

* * *

**Note: **Okay can someone please tell me if there is any mistakes, I'm not in the mood to reread this since I just wrote 8 pages and I need to go to bed…and this will actually be a story where I fix mistakes. Oh and when you write your reviews make sure to ask questions, because I enjoy answering them, and remember that if I answer any questions for chapter 2 you can look back at chapter 2 and find your answer here…I'll probably put up my answers once I fix my thousand mistakes.

I was going to use lemons, but since I liked the word flow a lot in the beginning I thought it would ruin it somehow because I'm still not that talented with writing lemons yet, but we will still stay at an M rating, why? Simple, because of Inuyasha. Everything he does is adult content, whether it be cussing or the drugs his using. And like I said I am actually going to use Sango and such this time, this story is not just about Kagome, so don't expect there to be chapters with only her in it. Because my plan was over a story of suburbia suffering, and then the contrast to that, which is living on the streets which well find out once we look more into Inuyasha's character.

Thanks for reading


	3. First News

**Serenity Trails**

**Chapter 3: First News**

**Author: **TamashaToko

**Rating: **M (so far for language and drugs)

**Pairing: **Sess/Kag San/Mir/Inu

**Notes: **I'm loving the reviews so far, even though I bet by this point Sesshoumaru is the most hated character…also once again, it won't apply to this chapter, but be prepared for there being points of time when were are more focused on Sango and Inuyasha on some points then we are the other two, because I am going to try and do both stories justice.

**

* * *

**

Sesshoumaru…

Sesshoumaru was a sexist, to say the least when it came to the way he treated her.

Talk about how women belonged in the kitchen, their job was to take care of the children, and the household was their lasting chore had never seemed real because such a time existed before her birth, but to actually live it…

Still no matter how against her new role as a homemaker she had been, she couldn't complain. She had everything she wanted and it was becoming instinct with every passing day. Since college was no longer going to be an aspiration of hers she took the cooking as a challenge and eventually conquered it.

Hell, there had even been some fun moments. Like the time she walked Suvjo during the community picnic and he got loose and chased a dog around the yard. Of course she was given looks from all the other women, who were also housewives, but almost all the children got a laugh and she quickly made friends with them; especially a little girl by the name of Rin whom she often picked flowers with when she had spare time.

It wasn't the life that she wanted, but it was okay enough to the point that she could deal, but then Sesshoumaru would come home.

They had been married for about two months now, but yet it didn't seem as though he acknowledged her except when they were in bed. Was he just a traditionalist or something, or did he actually believe her to be a slave and a baby producer? She would never know though, she would never know anything about him; the man was just unreadable.

Sometimes she didn't believe that he knew exactly what the roles they would be playing were though.

She had watched TV shows where the mother was at home cooking with the children and the father was at work, but the father was always the one to mow the lawn and do any cooking if it was to take place outside. She tried to use these stereotypical references to save her from yard work and more cooking than she desired to do, but then he had turned around and ordered a gardener after pointing out that he wasn't a big steak or hamburger person.

"I ironed your shirt for tomorrow," she said that trying to hide all the bitterness that the statement brought as he walked in the door.

His golden eyes shifted to her, "Our human neighbor said something about a ruckus that tiger of yours caused."

"It's not like he ate the puppy or anything," she quickly declared since he had been trying for a while now to get rid of the tiger cub, "they were just playing."

"Playing?"

"Honestly there was no harm in it Sesshoumaru. I've taken care of Suvjo along with everything else in this house…so don't worry about it."

So what if Kagome had gotten more use to the kind of life she once despised? It wasn't as though she had changed any. While she got more comfortable with taking the effort to separate whites and colors from the laundry she also got more comfortable with not fearing what she said around her husband.

It wasn't as though he would do anything about it anyways; he was never around to do anything. As soon as the small talk would end and it would be clear as to when dinner would be served he would disappear to somewhere with his laptop.

"I do worry about it when it's me they complain to," he scoffed, "have you been to the doctor?"

That had surprised her to say the least. Usually by this point he would be telling her to watch her tongue or to start on dinner, but instead he actually tried to change the subject. Such a cowardly move from the one who had been a victor in all their previous battles, could this be a turning point in the war?

"Yes, he said that I just caught a mild case of the flu."

That had passed a few days ago, but Sesshoumaru had been on a business trip when it ceased so he had no clue about it.

He probably assumed it had been morning sickness and shipped her off to the doctor so see when he could expect his first-born. She didn't exactly know how long it took for a hanyou to be born, but wasn't he rushing this? She was only 18 after all, and she'd never been the best babysitter.

"You should make an appointment with Amara next time," he made it clear that she would be having average check-ups, "being a demon doctor she has knowledge about more than just average sicknesses."

"I thought she was a surgeon."

"She is many things."

She muttered to him about how dinner was going to be in an hour or so now that he had confirmed everything he needed, and she watched him waiting for him to retreat.

But he went no where, "We won't be having dinner here tonight."

"Huh? I promise I didn't buy hot dogs this time, because I know it might be asking too much if you went outside and actually grilled the things."

"We're going out," was his only reply.

"Out?"

"Are you hard of hearing Kagome?"

"No," she quickly snapped her head up, a bit surprised that he'd actually said her name.

They were going out? Since when did he want to do anything that didn't involve work or sleep?

Then again it was kind of scary, because they were going out. What if it was some kind of public appearance he was being forced to attend and it would be her job to keep up his reputation. She couldn't do that! She would probably spill something on herself!

"Come," he lead her away from the home she had been hiding herself in for the past two months.

Kagome…

Kagome…was, why couldn't he keep his mind off her and just dismiss her as his wife?

She was no normal girl that much was obvious, and maybe that's why she was so compelling to him. He didn't know she would be so against the lifestyle he was putting before her, but yet she survived. His lunch was prepared and his clothes were washed.

Then there were times when she talked.

She lived the life of a housewife, but during the rare occasions they spoke he noticed she had quite a mouth. That wouldn't do if they were ever in public together, and she should have been punished for it, but instead he hung on to every word.

That and he could feel the burst of her miko energy that had been calling to him every night.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Another thing was that he hated being a failure. He made it clear as to what their roles would be after their wedding, but yet the fact that she looked at him with discontent and even tensed up when he entered the room irritated him. They could never love each other, but she would learn to respect him and trust his judgment.

Just that question reminded him of what he must do, he had been keeping her inside too long.

To him she would be like a bird. Her place was the cage, but she had to be let out every once in a while to stretch her wings.

"Swimming," he responded as though it was something they did daily.

That caused her to stop right in the door way, "Swimming?"

"That's what I said."

"I think I'm going to put some dinner on the stove and-

The way she tried to avoid him with her words was amusing. He'd gotten use to it to the point that it was a disappointment when they couldn't engage in it.

"We'll go out to eat afterwards."

"I don't have a bathing suit."

"You'll buy one."

"I-

Now the game wasn't amusing and he found himself grabbing her by the arm towards his newest car.

"No! Stop you jerk! Who do you think you are just grabbing me like this!"

He then smirked.

She tensed up, probably understanding that on the rare occasion that he smiled it was never a good thing for anyone else.

"I'm your husband," his dangerous voice responded before pulling her in so they were face to face before his eyes traveled to the buttons on her blouse, "and if you'd like we don't have to go swimming. We can stay home, or perhaps just stay in bed."

"I'll go swimming," she gave in leaving his gaze only momentarily to get her beach towel and the bathing suite she had owned all along.

Once they were all packed up he drove off into the city and then out of the city again. It was getting dark, and it was quite obvious that she wasn't pleased about spending time outside with him when she couldn't see her own nose in front of her face. It was good for him that he would be able to see every expression.

"Where are we?" she asked several times after they'd left the vehicle.

Sesshoumaru just gave a smirk that she wouldn't be able to see.

This area had served as a local swimming area for a few years since it had become a pretty good sized lake, but before then it had been a small part of his family's land. Before the demons were pushed into the woods his family ruled over this whole region, and now this was the last untouched piece of it. Starting tomorrow the lake would be drained and construction of another military site would begin, which was really another excuse to harbor viruses and weapons that could cause his race harm.

He watched Kagome, who had given up on getting any answers from him, whose eyes seemed to land on a few green fireflies that went past her nose.

Another quality that he found enjoyable of his bride, she seemed to have the innocence of a child despite all the wealth and pampering she had access to. Perhaps she was the one for him, and could live the life he expected her to live, her ability to not be tainted would get her far.

"You should be glad my mom volunteered me to you," Kagome called out to him when she got separated.

"Should I?" he asked, feeling a bit amused by her today.

She eventually found the water from what he could see and dipped a toe in it. Obviously the water was a good enough temperature for her, because she began to remove her clothes and reveal her undergarments. It was dark, so she didn't see the point in buying swim wear, much to his pleasure.

"Yeah," she playfully splashed herself in the face, "I've been forced to talk to the other housewives, married to demons or not, you wouldn't want them."

He walked forward and waded in the water a bit, despite being fully clothed to enjoy the last sight of what use to be the border between the Western and Southern lands.

"They seem to please their husbands."

Her appearance somehow looked a lot more intense and appealing to the eye when her hair was soaked and seeping over her face. He already knew he was lucky, but her voice had him enticed as well. Her smile didn't help matters…

"Because they enjoy gossips who just sit on the couch and spend their money, I'm different though."

"Are you?"

"You'll find out," she responded with slapping a wave of water towards him.

He growled, not liking his hair wet, "I think I'm already beginning to, but how I'm lucky is still another story."

She gave a light smile, which pleased him to no end even though he still wore a straight face. His wife found a nice drop off in the lake where she was able to swim and he could stand, it was right where the full moon shined down on them and reflected along the ripples they'd caused.

It made her look even more beautiful.

When her head appeared out of the water again he reached forward and moved a bang out from in front of her face gently with claws. No longer did she fear his touch, though other of the few youkai he'd seen with mates and wives would strike them if they were displeased, this was something he'd long decided against. No one would ever harm any piece of Kagome's lovely body, that he would make sure of.

"Do you know how to swim?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, I am choosing not to however."

"Did you ever learn how?"

"Didn't you?"

"Yeah, but don't dogs know it by natural instinct?"

He let out a growl, but not a dangerous one that would cause her to flinch in fear, he liked her happy.

How could he make her stay that way without damaging what he wanted?

"Come on just swim," she splashed him again, "I won't tell anyone you got your clothes wet."

He just shook his head though his silver hair was once again dripping with water. She was probably expecting him to get on all fours and shake the water off…he would never please her that much.

His hands reached out calmly caressed her shoulder. She stared up at him in disbelief, and then another smile before both bra straps were cut off, and then the same to the back of it.

"Hey!" she yelled at.

"You might want to keep your voice down and not call attention to the state your in," he whispered before pushing her out in the water more, causing her to part with the annoying undergarment and sink while she put her arms around her breast.

"I can't believe you'd do that!" she called out angry, "find it for me!"

"It's beyond repair, and you don't need it."

She showed nothing but angry as she floated around without a top, but then smirked before swimming forward and doing all in her power to grab on to his sleeve and pull him into the drop off and into the water. It was too easy, so maybe he did have intentions of swimming after all for some reason, but if he did why didn't he bring his trunks.

That answer became clear when he disappeared under water and she quickly found her lungs filling up with the stuff when she was dragged under. Sesshoumaru could obviously hold his breath under for a long time, because he had the energy to wrap his arms around her waist, stop her from kicking by using his legs to entwine with hers and still stay under with a smirk. He floated up a bit to let her breath in air, but still he remained under.

She gasped when she felt his mouth consume one of her nipples and suck on it, while one of his hands went up a bit and cupped the other one. If they were on land she would have smacked him without giving her some kind of warning, but after a bit more of it she realized it wasn't such a damper on the night. Due to their entanglement Sesshoumaru's knee was on her flower, though she still wore underwear, and as it moved she found herself becoming aroused.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed his name shakily when his head reappeared.

He removed his hand from her breast expecting her to retaliate at his treatment of her in such a state, though he was now in an awkward state, and with her body still pressed up against his she could probably tell.

"Kagome?"

She couldn't help herself as she kissed Sesshoumaru's lips letting him know what she wanted. Though it was usually her husband making all the moves in bed to calm her aura she was much more experienced than that first night, and even though she still wasn't the biggest fan of Sesshoumaru that didn't mean she wasn't attracted to him. On the contrary she thought she'd hit the jackpot in the looks and performance category with him.

Knowing that he'd finally stimulated his little miko and he could once again be surrounded in her energy he'd pushed both of them to the shallow waters and laid her on her back, still with their bodies entwined.

It had been a good night.

**

* * *

**

The door covered in peeling white paint wouldn't open, so Inuyasha struck it with his fist causing the sound of splitting wood to echo down the alleyway. After using the hole that was now above the doorknob he stuck his hand in unlocked it. Some bastard actually had the nerve to shove nasty smelling gunk in his keyhole!

Not wanting to worry about it now he slammed the door behind him and threw his shoes off, even though he didn't have carpet. He really didn't have anything. His living room table was a piece of wood held up by crates, his only furniture was a torn up recliner that he'd found in a dumpster elsewhere, toilet, and sink. There wasn't even anything in the kitchen besides counters since he had no desire to ever cook and his refrigerator had actually been stolen somehow.

Still, it was home.

This apartment was actually pretty typical among the homes available in Terrace Valley, home of the banished hanyous. Most lived in hubs or ditches, and just thinking about it pissed him off. Hanyou could be as strong as youkai and smart as humans, but they were killed off when getting too close to the woods, and it was the fault of mortals that'd made them savages. Not only were they forced to live together in this garbage heap, but hanyou weren't allowed to have jobs resulting in a maddening poverty. The richest hanyous, Inuyasha being one of them, were nothing to be admired either. Most were hired by humans to kill other humans, and then there was him who could be hired by a factory to work for quarters to save money and improve efficiency.

If it weren't for what happened to Kikyo Inuyasha definitely would have taken Naraku upon his offer, than he'd be untouchable.

Instead he had to make sure he was inside at a certain time or he would surely be harassed by a demon slayer, and if he even thought about shutting the bastard up it would result in death for him.

"Maybe I should just die," Inuyasha would often tell himself before getting high off something or other, "then I could be with Kikyo and all this suffering will finally be over…"

Those thoughts intensified that night…maybe it was time. Obviously he didn't have a purpose in this world, it was Sesshoumaru who received his lovely job and little wife, while he was here. Sleeping on some kind of chair that had probably been pissed on by a dog after being ripped up.

It was hard to think. All these thoughts, not to mention he was starving. Rather than wasting all he had left on some cocaine from some human that turned out to be cut too much, he could have bought some groceries. He didn't have any damn money, and he wasn't smart.

"I'm a dumb fuck," he noted before reaching on to his piece of shit table and grabbing a bottle.

He had a hard time opening it with his hands shaking and the child proof cap, and eventually smashed it. Thought it was plastic the orange pieces of the bottle made cuts on his hand that healed within seconds, and in some cases the skin healed right over pieces stuck in his wounds. Great now he would spend all morning cutting himself up to remove it.

Getting his mind off that he focused on the small blue pills scattered on the wooden surface. A youkai taking just one of those could seriously get fucked in the head, which was why they were one of his favorites, but what about all of them? He wasn't going out sober that was for damn sure.

After filling a chipped cup full of murky water he gathered all the pills in his hands.

This was it. These were his last breaths on this miserable Earth.

Though he didn't have any beliefs about the after life he figured he would rethink his life before taking this fatal action, and see if there was anything to be remorseful about, but rather than thinking about the people he'd hurt and killed during his quest for drugs his mother came across his mind. She'd done everything for him, even though he was a hanyou. If she'd just have given him up she could have remained with her rich family and married a husband that could have provided kind of like Kagome Higurashi did, instead she let the world know about her love affair with a demon and was banished to Terrace Valley.

It had been bad from the very moment she got this apartment, but somehow she managed to raise him into his teens until being murdered by a pack of wolf demons. If only he would have spent more time with her, if only he'd been there to protect her.

Same with Kikyo, if only he wasn't so stupid!

"Nice fucking knowing you," he scornfully told himself as he put all twenty of the deadly pills in his mouth.

Terrace Valley.

A reservation made by the government to protect hanyou from both humans and demons. It was a great idea, and Sango didn't understand why Inuyasha spoke so poorly about it. That was until she actually entered the so-called paradise. It was a dump, there was trash, fire, and hanyou laying in gutters everywhere.

Those damn half-breeds, the government couldn't be responsible for everything. If only they would clean the place up and work then this really could be a nice place to live.

"Such scum," a male demon slayer commented as they made their rounds, "if only there mother's weren't whores and their fathers weren't rapist then this wouldn't land on us."

Though his words were harsh Sango couldn't disagree. Though they had human blood they were still demons to her, and she could never be on the side of a creature that was similar to the ones that had slaughtered her family. Hell, she should have called Kagome a long time ago, but she refused to. Though her friend didn't have a choice in who she married it didn't change the fact that she was married to a demon, they couldn't continue their friendship.

"This is my first time here," Sango noted following with her weapon tightly gripped.

"Oh really?" he asked with a smirk, "then just remember we enforce a curfew around these parts. We wouldn't want the bastards to sneak off late at night and eat a few children now would we? If they're not inside an establishment then they're free game."

She didn't understand what he meant by 'free game' but she read all the rules and regulations of the reservation, "I haven't been informed of any curfew."

"Street rules," he mumbled as he joined the rest of the slayers who began to force hanyou out of ditches before beating them and slashing them until they hid.

It was kind of cruel, because where would they go? How could they have a curfew when they were homeless? Sango still shook her head, it wasn't her place to say anything.

A wolf demon…

Sango seen one out of the corner of her eye departing into an alleyway.

Strange, he was wearing armor and had a weapon at his belt from what she could recall. He couldn't be a hanyou. They were forbidden to have weapons, and usually the youkai from the forest were adorned in such protection. It was suspicious, so she followed. Even if she was wrong and had been mistaken she supposed she could use the curfew rule to justify her actions.

"His in there Kouga," the wolf demon was soon joined by two others that didn't seem as powerful, Sango could tell from where she watched around the corner.

"Who? Mutt-face? We'll get him tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"I seen him return from a human city not long ago looking stoned off his ass, well raid the place early tomorrow when his got a fresh supply of whatever in the hell his shooting up these days."

"Then what are we doing here?"

No answer came from the wolf for the longest time. His arms were crossed, as he seemed to be in deep thought. The two seemed to know it was best not to interrupt him since they remained quiet for a while.

"We've been betrayed by a stupid human," he finally noted, "and his hiding among the hanyou filth."

"So were here to hunt him down?"

"Yes, his taken something of mine."

"Which is what Kouga?" one was stupid enough to ask him.

He growled, "None of your damn business Ginta. You know who he is, go find him. I'll take the East, you'll take the West."

"What about me?" asked the third.

"You'll be busy eating the demon slayer whose spying on us before she tells the others were here."

Sango gasped as the three pairs of eyes caught hold of her. She moved her hand to get her weapon, but one of them quickly slammed her against the wall as the other two departed.

"Sorry about this miss," he noted as though he was quite polite and not really a cold blooded killer, "but orders are orders."

Slam!

The wall Inuyasha had been leaning against when he put his pills in his mouth had shook and he fell forward spitting out his precious drugs. Was the valley being bombed again or something? No, it wasn't loud enough. Someone was probably just fucking around in the alleyway.

"Stupid bastards," he yawned before laying down in his recliner.

It wasn't worth his time to see what it was, or to go pick his pills back up. Maybe he just needed to chill and get his scattered thoughts together. It wasn't time for this shit. He couldn't just up and kill himself when there were things to do. How could he face Kikyo in the afterlife knowing he'd failed the only she'd ever asked of him.

"Tomorrow Kikyo," his eyes lowered ready to go into a slumber, "I'll continue to look for it tomorrow."

Every weapon Sango reached for was soon knocked out of her hand by the wolf before he showed her teeth. She tried to call for help, but he put his mouth over hers to keep her quiet. Was he going to rape her, it didn't seem so as his claws were already causing her great harm in the hip, he was just trying to keep her quiet.

"I'll try to make it quick," he whispered keeping his hand over her mouth.

His claws were shaking above her chest, as though he were contemplating striking her in the heart, or decapitating her. It then seemed as though he decided against both and wrapped his hand around her throat.

He wasn't going to make this quick, and as the images around her seemed to darken she began to understand. Besides being drained of all air her family, well, the Higurashi's, would have a body to bury instead of a bloodied corpse. That was kind of him, even though he was killing her.

"Kazana!"

Sango didn't see what had happened, but something had scared the wolf demon off of her, before she welcomed air back into her lungs.

"Kouga!" he tried to scream for his leader, but he appeared to be quickly knocked down by some kind of staff.

"Yell for him and I'll suck you up into my wind tunnel," came a male's voice.

She looked over and gasped. Sango looked upon the most handsome man she'd ever seen. He had short black hair tied in a very small pony tail and had eyes that told her he was to be trusted. He was a monk though she could tell by his garb, damn, he was definitely unavailable then.

"I just need what you took from Kouga," he cried out, "that's all."

"I don't have anything of his, and next time you wolves want to hurt a beautiful woman you have to go through me first."

She blushed. He, a monk who was suppose to not look twice at a woman thought she was beautiful?

"I-I just-

He looked dangerous all of a sudden with his staff out and his hand out and ready to open. What was up with this hand? Did it have something to do with the wind tunnel?

Finally the wolf demon gave up and disappeared. The monk put away his threatening gaze right away and extended an arm to help up Sango.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a smile.

"Um, yeah, sorry about that, I should have been able to handle him myself."

She quickly went to her weapons and began picking them up. He moved to pick up her boomerang, but grunted at the fact that he couldn't lift it.

"You must be strong," he noted as she lifted it and put it on her back with one hand.

"Not really," she tried to be modest, "what's your name monk?"

He smiled, "Miroku, and what's your name?"

Before she could answer he quickly grabbed hold of her hands causing her to blush again, "Sango."

"Sango, I was wondering if you would bear my child."

She looked up at him in disbelief, "W-what?"

He then looked around as though he'd heard something, "Kouga and his cronies could be coming back, I say we return to the human realm where they can't get us, because I know a strong demon slayer like you would definitely beat them up if they got into your territory."

"Well-I…"

What was it about this man? She couldn't put her words together around him, he was just…stunning, that was the word. He even politely hooked her arm with his as she was led out of the reservation.

A question was on her mind though, the hanyou reservation wasn't that big, but she hadn't seen nor heard Inuyasha anywhere. Did he have an apartment somewhere he was resting in, was he out and about up to know good, or could he have been killed by one of the crueler demon slayers, whatever it was it didn't seem as though she would ever see him again.

**

* * *

**

Kagome was daydreaming again as put a load in the washing machine while the oven was preheating. Things were finally working for the best, and she didn't think she'd ever achieve this by dating random men like her mother knew she would.

So what if Sesshoumaru still had her in this homemaker role? As long as her chores were done she still had the freedom to go wherever she wanted to talk to whomever she chose, and even though it was unlike her to think such a way the fact that she could buy whatever shoes or pants that she wanted added to the thrill of leaving the house.

Then when she was home she got to wait for him. She'd felt comfortable now with her husband ever since their night at the lake. He would still never open up to her or leave too much room for disobedience, but now she could talk to him freely and when it came to that he was a pretty good friend. A pretty good _attractive _friend.

She was definitely interested in seeing how their bond would strengthen when she delivered the news to him…

Maybe this was just what she needed to finally break free of this cycle he'd placed her in…

She almost jumped for joy for the first time ever when she heard his car door. This would be the first time she'd seen him in two weeks, so this news had been literally harboring inside of her ready to burst.

When the living room door opened Suvjo's ears perked up and he quickly ran towards the door to greet his master, just to be pushed away, but he soon perked up again when he found out that his food in his bowl had been restocked.

"Your tiger is a nuisance," Sesshoumaru grumbled as usual when entering the room and sitting down at the dining room table, "dinner is not ready?"

"Sorry," she frowned at his daily attitude, "I just got back from the market."

He glared at her momentarily, but before he could say anything else she gave him a bottle of the most expensive white wine she could find at one of the most expensive grocery stores. It hurt to splurge in such a way, but this news was for him since he'd been wanting to hear it so bad, and maybe it would get her out of the trouble not having dinner done in time had gotten her.

He stared at the label and didn't seem to react much that caused her to roll her eyes. So much for her perfect evening; Sesshoumaru probably had that wine everyday when he was away on business. Still, this was everyday Sesshoumaru, nothing to get upset by. She had seen that night by the lake that he did have a romantic side, and as long as one existed that was all that mattered.

"You never gave me a certain time dinner had to be done," she then said, "that's why you usually phone me and ask."

"You've always made it at six."

"Well sorry then, any other complaints your majesty?"

"Watch your tongue," he said before returning to his wine.

It had been a while since he'd told her that. Was something wrong with him? It didn't matter, if something bad had happened to him at work or on the way home he would never speak of it. It'd actually been pretty funny, he was the one with the exciting day while she was cooped up here, but he'd always asked about her day and found it very amusing.

"How was your trip?" she dared to ask.

"Delayed much often," he grunted over his wine.

"Sorry to hear it, but I do have something to make it better…I-

"You're pregnant," he finished for her before standing up with his lap top after finishing his glass quick enough, "tell me when dinner's finished, I'll be in my office."

She was so shocked by his solemn reply that it couldn't register with her at the moment, "I just got done furnishing it and painting it, the fumes might be a bit too much for you."

He nodded slowly, "I'll be in the bedroom."

How…how dare he? The thought of having a child scared her more than anything, she was so young and it would be a big responsibility, not to mention the pain of having it. Still, she'd been happy about bringing a bundle of joy into the household, and she hoped the news would impress Sesshoumaru and she could see that wonderful side of him again. She thought he'd been happy since child bearing was one of the main intentions he desired a bride and this would be their first born, but he seemed to care less.

She was so stupid anyway! Why be proud about it? It was her job to spawn his offspring, and there was no reason to have a big party about the news since Sesshoumaru probably smelled the change in her scent before even entering the kitchen.

No, she wasn't stupid, he was a jerk!

"Bastard," she muttered chopping onions so Sesshoumaru wouldn't suspect anything while she cried, not that he cared.

While she chopped her vegetables she noticed an abundance of tomatoes lying around. She always had to portion everything just right for both of them because her husband hates tomatoes. That first night when she'd ordered out for the both of them he ate nothing but bread and cheese, of course he never said anything cause he was always a mystery.

She began chopping up tomatoes now, pissed about his neglect for her feelings on the whole thing. She was going to be bringing him a little piece of both of them into the world, and all he had to say was that he would be in the bedroom. She didn't even care about the tomatoes that he mixed into his salad, he could be deathly allergic to them for all she cared.

If he had been allergic there would never be anyway to tell, he would never admit such a flaw.

Before Kagome could bring herself to put tomatoes in every meal of his she stopped herself…this was marriage, not a childish game. Arranged or not, it wasn't suppose to be easy and they would have to work it out together. She was his wife, not his maid, and she was going to help him open up so they could celebrate their first born whether he liked it or not.

Sesshoumaru did have work he needed to get done, it wasn't a way to escape reality like most overworked men did, or a front to cheat on his wife when she believed him to be very busy. Instead it was piled on him, because he couldn't complain. He wasn't a human, and if he was considered undesirable by any humans he would be killed or sent to the woods to live.

He hated not having power over his destiny.

Though he'd often thought about disappearing into the endless forest one day. All that lived there were the lesser youkai and wolf youkai, the ones with half a brain were like him, nothing more than slaves to ungrateful humans, it wouldn't be hard for him to rule. He could rule over the forest like his father had once did over the region. It would mean giving up many luxuries, but it would mean he was in power. In power with his mate by his side, his demon mate.

How foolish of him.

With such a work schedule and hope for a child to bring into their home to keep his wife happy and busy he'd forgotten to get started on coaxing her into surgery so she could become a demon.

Thanks to him being unprepared and unable to keep his pants on for very long around her she was pregnant with a hanyou.

Hanyou, didn't she know what that meant? He didn't exactly know himself because most demons in his position found their female counterparts and mated, while he chose a human to surgically alter. Would his hanyou offspring be protected like he was? Inuyasha was never protected, and now he lived in Terrace Valley where drugs and murder were the only way of survival.

In a way he could imagine such a life for his child, the thought of having a hanyou as a first born disgusted him. Such a horrible role-model for his younger pure blood children…

Still, Kagome wouldn't accept writing off something she gave birth to, even if it meant the end of his citizenship and her access to the human realm since she would be banished along with him for being a 'demon's whore'. The child would ruin everything he'd established because he didn't think before acting.

Kagome couldn't be unhappy though, and he couldn't imagine something of his blood other than Inuyasha sleeping in a gutter or laying on a couch stoned out of his mind. What would they do? How could he tell her they couldn't have this child?

He hated feeling so helpless when he was always in control.

"Sesshoumaru!" she walked in putting up a stern guard, even though her face didn't show it.

"Is dinner prepared?" he asked knowing it wasn't.

"Quit being such a stiff-ass and just tell me what's wrong? You act as though me carrying our first-born happens everyday!"

"What gives you the idea something's wrong?"

She looked as though she were about to scream, "You're so frustrating!"

He simply stood up and walked to the dresser, just keeping it all in was making her unhappy. No one had ever cared about what he was hiding before, not even his own mother. Maybe Kagome had been right, he was lucky to have her.

Still, maybe he should just let her be unhappy and outraged, then…

No.

The thought of her sorrowful face and resentment to herself if she had a miscarriage was almost unbearable. She truly was having an effect on him. No matter what the result of this was he didn't want to see his wife succumb to that, she was his responsibility.

Before she could utter another word he opened up their dresser, which had become his since all her stuff was kept in the walk in closet with his suits, and pulled out a small black box. He opened it to make sure the possession was still there before making any radical decisions.

It was silver locket on a chain with diamond-like gems in the middle that formed a crescent moon. It had been made centuries ago by youkai and had been passed down in his family ever since they rose above the mindless pillaging demons. It's last owner had been his mother, and she'd received it the night she announced to his father that she was pregnant with a son she would name Sesshoumaru. No matter how depressed she became or despised his father she always wore the necklace as though she was proud of it, so it held some significance to him other than the fact it was one of many heirlooms his family had scattered everywhere in Japan.

It was now time to give it to Kagome. He'd been planning on doing it the night of their wedding as a wedding present/birthday gift, but since she was still getting use to him it didn't seem right. Now was the best time.

For the first time ever he would not come up with a strategy right away and think about how to handle the hanyou child later. Right now Kagome wanted to celebrate.

He surprised her by moving so fast he appeared as a blur behind her, where he slowly clasped the locket around her neck. The vanity mirror was in front of him, and he couldn't help but notice how well it fit her.

"I'm proud of you," he told her coldly.

As she curiously examined the priceless metal that she now carried he left the room in search of another refuge. He would see her again when dinner was finally ready.

**

* * *

**

AN: I thought that was a pretty good chapter, one that deserves a reward, someone give me a reward.

I think I'm doing a good job of keeping my characters the way the need to be. Kagome is doing what she needs to do, but isn't weak or vulnerable like I usually tend to make her. Sesshoumaru doesn't stay an ass till the very end like I usually have him either. Only thing I'm missing is that Sango didn't hit Miroku any time in this chapter, because I decided we've all seen that silliness too many times and it was best to keep moving with the story. It's also great because I can be both in character and out of character with Inuyasha because I can now always use drugs as an excuse

Seriously, for this fic reviews are greatly appreciated, please tell me what you think.


	4. Human Resources

Serenity Trails Chapter 4: Human Resources 

**Author: **TamashaToko

**Rating: **M (so far for language and drugs)

**Pairing: **Sess/Kag San/Mir/Inu

**Notes: **Thanks for waiting as long as you all have, I've been busy with senior year trying to find a job, and this year is just going by fast. It's unbelievable that it's almost Christmas and I've only updated a few times this school year. I think I'm going to cry.

Miracles could indeed happen.

That was what Sango learned from spending just a few months with the monk that had saved her in those slums, and now it had been decided that they would be married this spring.

"Arranged marriage you say?" Miroku had asked when hearing about the fate of the Higurashi daughter, "I've been considering it myself, it would save me from a lot of slaps, would you become my bride Sango?"

Of course she'd accepted. If anyone questioned it she would declare that an arranged marriage was a good way of being forced into settling down, but the truth was she loved every part of Miroku.

Well he was a bit perverted, but also had many good qualities about himself.

"There is a few things we need to talk about though Sango," she was alerted by a sigh of his before digging into their meal at the usual fast food restaurant.

"And what would that be?" she quickly found herself defensive incase he decided to bring something stupid up.

"Our living arrangements, you know that I'm a monk, so I don't exactly bring home a steady paycheck."

She frowned, "And I'm not exactly the best paid demon slayer out there."

This was going to be a problem, and she was already aware of it. Though living together as man and wife at such young ages and bringing life's hardships seemed adventurous Miroku wasn't the kind to marry her into a life of instability.

"I'm sure the Higurashi's could house us for a bit until we get on to our feet, I just hate burdening them, but I can save up all my money and we can have a home eventually."

"That's the thing, I don't want you working Sango."

That caught her attention, for it would be the one thing she could never accept with this relationship.

"We'll need my paycheck to survive Miroku when all we an rely on from you is mercenary payment and donations."

"Just don't demon slay anymore."

In a way it was like hearing a sin from him.

"Demon slaying is my heritage Miroku, and I've vowed to never quit until my family has been avenged."

It was hard to tell Miroku about the spider demon that had devoured her family, but she'd somehow managed it a week ago. Still she wished she hadn't with the way he reacted. Nothing, which was odd since he seemed like the man who would be supportive till the end if needed.

"Revenge being the motivator for what you do is the problem. It makes you oblivious to what's going on around you."

She pushed her hamburger to the side not feeling hungry anymore, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! If I had my mind on demon slaying all the time I wouldn't have thought about you twice let alone meet you every night."

"And last night," he threw out there to make her blush.

She was embarrassed, but couldn't deny it. Last night on one of their little dates she neglected to retaliate against one of his perverted gestures, which of course led to their early consummation.

"Unless you think of that as a mistake?" he quickly asked worried that her whole opinion on him had changed.

"No, that all has nothing to do with this. Your asking me to change my whole lifestyle, though I wouldn't think twice about loving you if you were a rich business man or a poor monk I can't just throw my weapon down and forget about my family, you don't understand."

"I have also lost a father."

"Something you won't talk about. For someone as talkative as you opening up isn't one of your strong points."

"Sango have you ever cried for your family?"

She had to think about it. Of course there were tears when she stumbled upon the corpses, but that had been it. She'd been too enraged by the acts of the demons to attend the funerals. Her distant family member's support would have only slowed her down.

"Sango if your mind remains as hell bent on revenge as it has been then you'll miss a lot of things that you can't redo, as well as putting your life in danger. I'm also worried about the prejudice you hold against demons."

"What is this? Target Sango for every one of her flaws day?"

He actually chuckled about that, "I just don't want you becoming too close minded my dear Sango. Though I can't say much for the savage youkai of the forest I plan to remain close to my hanyou friends."

"Then don't let my feelings prevent that. I don't care who you hang around."

"That must not apply to Kagome Higurashi, she was your best friend and now you haven't spoken to her in months. Is her marrying a demon that bad?"

Sango had finally had enough and stood up, "If you don't want to marry me just say so. Whatever your decision I will never put down my weapon until my father and Kohaku are avenged."

She turned to leave, but she felt his hand fall upon hers.

"I will just have to live with it then. I love you too much to let you walk out that door."

Her heart felt like it was going to stop.

Yeah, it was corny, but it wasn't like he was pulling proclamations of love out of anywhere. They'd been through a lot in the past few months that she believed it. To top it all off he had been the first ever man to look past her need to save the world from demons and just accept her.

"Miroku," she sighed before giving him the kiss he deserved, "I suppose your hands can do other things."

"Yep, but not as well as it's specialty."

"Nice try, but you were just lucky last night."

"That's cutting beneath the belt beloved."

She just smiled before finishing her meal and spending a few more silent moments alone with him. Like they usually did they found their boundaries with each other and continued on. It wasn't until some child in the store actually told them to get a room did she separate from his lips and snap back to reality.

"I heard you've been hired on for tomorrow," she noted.

He nodded, "What exactly will we be up against?"

"There has been an uprising on the border of the Southern woods. Lesser youkai, but the problem is too many numbers."

"So it has been seen troublesome enough to spend money on hired help, but not important enough for your boss to get his hands dirty."

She ignored the comments knowing he wasn't too happy with the way demon slayers handled things. It made her curious, he mentioned he was friend to hanyou who haven't been given good treatment from the slayers. Maybe he hated them and that's why he wanted her to retire.

Whatever the case it was proven that he indeed loved her.

"Briefing will be at 3 a.m. so we should both turn in."

"Together?"

"In your dreams, maybe if you kill me some insect youkai tomorrow."

"I'll make sure to bring you a hive," he smiled before kissing her deeply and parting ways with her for the night.

She returned to her bedroom at the Higurashi household with intentions of sleeping, but it was hard with Miroku on her mind. What was it about that monk?

Though tomorrow's circumstances for meeting wouldn't be a happy one, she looked forward to it.

Kagome smiled as she looked down at the spider picture Rin had made for Halloween. Though the household's first born was four months into development in her stomach Rin had somehow warmed herself into almost being a resident. Even Sesshoumaru couldn't find any complaints about the sweet little girl that accidentally drenched a good pair of his dress shoes in ink the other day.

"Do you like Fluffy?" she somehow got away with calling Sesshoumaru as she showed him the spider.

Sesshoumaru hardly looked over his reports before nodding.

It was strange for them to all be in the same room like this, but it had happened once Kagome used her interior design skills to make a space everyone enjoyed to be in. Who knew two couches and a fireplace could do so much for an atmosphere.

Still…things felt cold.

"Rin maybe you should check on the flowers we hung up to dry," Kagome spoke sitting down next to her husband, "they might be ready to put in your photo album now."

She happily nodded before skipping off down the hall. While this scene took place Sesshoumaru seemed ready to make a silent mistake, his wife had purposely dismissed the young girl to start a confrontation.

"Rin's mother has started to pay me as a full time babysitter," she told him something that had already been made apparent a week ago, "I was hoping with that little bit of money coming in you would be able to bypass some of your work."

He stopped, "Do you require more time with me Kagome?"

She quickly shook her head with a blush, "No, ewww I'd never want that on purpose, it's just that you've been working a lot lately, and I've looked at your stuff. A lot of the graphs and stuff seem unnecessary."

"I've been told to make them so I am."

She sighed, "I think they're using you as a tool Sesshoumaru."

A warmth than covered Kagome's shoulder and she smiled when she noticed it was his fluffy white tail, or at least that's what she always assumed it was. She sunk into it quietly thanking him for the gesture; her back was killing her. It only took six-months for a hanyou to be born, so it wouldn't be long now. October was close to being over, so maybe she would have a Christmas baby.

"Perhaps as a human you wouldn't understand how unfair the caste system can be."

"All I know is that humans live normally, the evil demons are in the forest, and strong ones like you are allowed citizenship here."

He released a small growl, "To you things seem alright but if I were human I would be paid three-times as much for what I do. I'm used because I have the intelligence to adapt and excel in this environment, if it weren't for motivation being a factor in my results I wouldn't even have this."

She frowned, "Things have gotten bad, and I've never really noticed."

His claws played with her necklace as she rested with him. This would be the first time the precious family heirloom was worn by a human. If he really wanted he could have had a youkai bitch, but with such disorder among the banished race everyone forgot what gender should be dominate, which was much easier to establish with Kagome. As an added bonus his woman was also civilized and educated.

Being civilized was the reason for this talk though; she would have to be informed of the upcoming hardships and the curse of her pregnancy.

"The ultra sound is at noon tomorrow," she noted, "are you coming?"

"No. I'll be in a conference call."

"And that doesn't surprise me in the least, come on! We'll get to find out if our child is a girl or boy and-

"You'll be giving birth to a female. I can smell that much."

"You're sucking all the joy out of my life! Don't tell me that stuff."

"I apologize for not letting you experience this your way, but you have to understand your life will never be the same."

"I'll be a mother, that scares me enough already."

"Mother of a hanyou. Humans will never accept you again, and if I hold no protection over the child she will be sent away to the slums where many half-breeds die daily."

She began to shake a bit she knew about that horrible reservation. How Inuyasha even survived surprised her since many didn't even have shelter or food. How could someone do that to her innocent child?

"No," she declared, "if your allowed to live here peacefully than so should she."

"The only place peaceful is Serenity Trails, and that includes you. No one can touch you in this community as long as my firm exist, but anywhere else is off limits. Don't even let me catch you near the forest."

"Like I'd ever go there, but what about my home?"

"Your parents will have to come to you, I regret you weren't given enough information about our arrangement."

Meaning of course Kagome would never see Sango again. She didn't even bother asking for her adopted sister on the phone anymore. She'd just been told excuse after excuse and was very aware Sango was just too prejudice to accept Kagome's new lifestyle.

Sesshoumaru strongly debated on whether or not to tell her about his latest plan, and somehow let it slip anyway without a second thought.

"The woods could be our refuge though Kagome, but you would have to give up the money and luxuries."

"I never asked for any of it."

He wrapped her more securely knowing he was lucky to have a mate who could be happy with just her health and family.

"If I were exiled you would have to follow, and I think I would be the strongest. I could return order to my family's land and take back what's mine."

"What would become of me? Those demons would never accept a human as yours."

"Amara can turn you into a youkai as well as our daughter. Everything will be as it shall be."

"Amara can turn me into a demon?"

"Amara _will _turn you into a demon."

She removed herself from his comfort, "Then you shouldn't have married a human."

Her pregnant form wobbled out the door and slammed it behind her.

A massacre that's what this was.

Too bad for them the tables had been turned.

Demon slayers of all branches as well as the cheap mercenaries such as monks and homeless with guns had all been called to the edge of the forest. At first many assumed they would be protecting construction workers while they set up a few barriers, or maybe even perhaps spread poison to flush demon parasites out of nearby crops on the border. Instead they'd been given orders by those in the high ranks to march into the forest and wage a war.

Though for years Sango had talked about getting her revenge on youkai for the fate of her family she never actually envisioned herself going into the forest. No human had gone there for anything, because doing so was sure suicide.

After that order was given she was finally ready to get into talk about the conspiracy of demon slayers and all that since this was just asking so much of the fighters, but when an order was given there was no questioning anything. Like a lamb to the slaughter Sango followed her peers into the darkness of the woods.

She thanked Miroku's love for that courage.

If it wasn't for him holding her hand as the deadly order was given her knees would have buckled and she would have cried. Because of him she'd gulped and walked right into the threshold.

Now she held nothing but regret.

Everywhere were screams of pain and the splatter of blood. In order to conserve her own life she had to quit thinking about Miroku and only keep killing everything that approached her with scales or more than one eye. Not one second could be spared here, not that it mattered. No one would survive this.

As glimpses of death reached the eyes of a hanyou who sat perched in the highest trees the creature could only smile. Finally the demon slayers were getting what they deserved, and what was funny was that Inuyasha and many other hanyou knew this day was coming.

He didn't have too many memories of his mother before she was murdered, because most of her time was spent either working for fighting for survival, but one thing he remembered was her response when she was informed about the demon slayers bullying hanyou children.

"This is an outrage," she told her only hanyou friend in the hell hole she called home since most hated her, "how low can they sink."

"It doesn't matter," the older hanyou had yellow teeth that were seen clearly when she looked down at a young Inuyasha that held tightly on to his mother's hand, "they will go down before us. Rumor has it masses of them will be sacrificed eventually just so the government can claim there's not enough protection giving them the perfect excuse to employee and then turn around and sacrifice our kind. Luckily were not dumb enough to fall for that and the human scum will get what's coming to them."

Mother never did put up with discrimination of any kind, not towards demons or humans, so she wound up never talking to that friend again after the death of many demon slayers were praised.

Inuyasha still couldn't believe the ramblings from that old hag were true. These demon slayers were obviously just a sacrifice, because if there was really going to be a war there would be soldiers rather than monks with staffs.

It all worked out for the hanyou though, because now that the demons were distracted he could possibly get to where he needed in the forest without becoming injured. He had a promise to fulfil for Kikyo, and nothing was going to get in the way.

"Sango!"

Inuyasha looked down at the war again when that name was screamed. So that bitch demon slayer was here? She had no chance of surviving this place.

Still he looked towards the source of the noise to see a monk struggling with a huge ass snake demon. He recognized the man as someone who did what he could to help the hanyou when low on money and resources himself. Someone like that shouldn't have their destiny finalized because of a government's plot.

"Iron Reever!" he brushed through and killed the demon.

"Y-you, you're that junkie from-

He started to stutter, but still made it obvious that he knew exactly who Inuyasha was.

"Shut up and keep your voice down or you'll be devoured, and if I get caught I'm kicking your ass, got that!"

He nodded, which was a huge accomplishment for him at that moment. Inuyasha had turned around and noticed his robe was soaked with blood. He'd been bitten in stomach and then in the shoulder.

"You were stationed pretty high up in those trees," the monk breathed deeply, "how does it look."

"A lot of people are going to die," he couldn't bring himself to tell the man he himself would die here today.

"Figures. Bastard demon slayers. Do you know Sango?"

He nodded.

"It's dangerous for a hanyou like yourself to be here, you should leave, and if you aren't a cold heartless bastard like your pretending to be make sure she isn't around here. I'm going to save some lives."

"Are you going stupid or something? What are you talking about? You'll be dead soon, you can't save anyone!"

He just chuckled, "Go on hanyou."

Though he had an agenda and this war made things easier Inuyasha found himself abandoning the monk in search for the demon slayer. She was also in a struggle with some bastard lesser demon that he had to slash down before it strangled her.

"You!" she'd shouted, "what the hell are you doing here? Hanyou aren't permitted to-

"Shut the hell up!"

Not paying much attention to her protest or racial slurs Inuyasha knocked the weapon out of her hand and carried her away from the woods.

"No! Miroku is in there!"

He didn't say a thing for a while, and didn't look back as the monk's powerful last words rang over the woods. He had announced to everyone to flee despite what they'd been commanded for he would be releasing a wind tunnel.

Indeed a powerful wind soon followed, and then what sounded like a bomb. Miroku Kazanna's ashes were the first of many human related pieces to be discovered when the attack had been reported as a success.

"Why'd you carry me out?" Sango asked hours later after he'd taken her to his home for safety, "I wanted to be with him."

After that small frame of time he'd spent with her months ago he knew she was the type that didn't care for things sugar coated, which made it easier for him.

"Whatever in the hell that wind tunnel thing was would have killed you, and by his state I would say he was poisoned anyway and wouldn't have had enough time for a love filled farewell."

His words didn't reach her at all. She was too busy crying all over his dirt floor, not even paying attention to her own deep wounds she'd received from the battle.

Since he couldn't even afford a lock on the door he definitely didn't have a TV, but bits of the news had somehow reached him. Hanyou rumor news was the best anyway even though sometimes it could be completely made up, but the point was it wasn't influenced by human or demon opinion. It had become obvious someone higher up wasn't pleased that many of the slayers survived the successful campaign in the woods, though the humans were unaware and were celebrating.

"Though you probably don't buy into the kill all hanyou conspiracy the government is going to want the number of surviving slayers low, and they've already began punishing and killing war deserters to insure that. You'd probably be one of them."

"You dragged me out," she sobbed much later.

"They won't care."

Sango nodded and was ready to believe there was no justice in went on in the woods today. If there was her love wouldn't have died the way he did.

"So I can hide here."

Inuyasha found himself nodding even though he couldn't stand this woman. How'd he get into this anyway? All he wanted was to fulfill a promise and get high.

Human resources.

Sesshoumaru wasn't scared of much, but going to that department made him dread his position in life. Though he seemed to be living comfortably enough seeing as how he could buy a new car at any time and Kagome could any outfit she desired it could all be short lived. This firm paid for his refuge in Serenity Trails, all his expenses, and highly costly medical bills, and due to his race he didn't have much say in what could be stripped from him. The only reason he had this much was because he was treated as the company's poster boy as reward for accomplishing the work of ten men, meaning he was given a lot to show that the company was diverse while secretly other youkai went home to dinner of bread in a shabby apartment.

"Ah Murashu," the portly man greeted him with a fake smile, "take a seat. So Murashu, was that last name handed out or something."

"My family's name," he masked his detest of the man's oblivious knowledge to the fact that taiyoukai had last names.

"Ah that's right, ancestor of that ancient demon ruler," his tone showed a bit of disgust towards the fact that there was once a time youkai had rule over anything in society.

"Son."

"Forgot how long you critters could live. Anyways I just provided coverage for your wife's ultra sound today. A girl, congratulations."

Sesshoumaru nodded a thanks but was on edge already alarmed at the fact that this man had such access to medical statements, "Is there a problem?"

"No. Why would there be a problem. I'm happy for your marriage, many of the employees are. So did you meet Amara? Is she a good neighbor?"

He nodded.

"I take it your wife agreed to the demon surgery."

"Wouldn't you have the paper work on that?"

"This firm pays for Amara whether she's working or not so keeping documentation of her dealings is unnecessary."

Meaning of course it was all illegal.

"No I was going to coax Kagome into it a few months after our daughter is born."

"And Amara can do surgery on the infant?"

"I've spoken to Amara and she's told me it would be dangerous to my pup's health and wouldn't be possible until adolescence."

"Oh," he removed his glasses, his fake smile gone, "a hanyou then?"

"That is usually the result of the marriage between a human and demon is it not, and weren't all the employees happy with this marriage?"

"Yes they are, but I was hoping a child wouldn't be born until your wife could undergo surgery. I'm sorry Murashu, but a hanyou?"

And here was the proof just how in shambles this society was. Everyone rejoiced when a civilized demon such as Sesshoumaru married a human, because it showed how much diversity there was and how dreams come true for the female since she'd be entering a life of riches just like a princess. What they didn't know was that businesses usually did what they could to change genes and such, because there was still so much hate for hanyous. The general public always just assumed the demon human couples didn't have children or was doing everyone a favor and keeping the child at home to not offend anyone, really the firms had been eliminating pregnancies and throwing hanyou children in dumpsters in Evergreen to die.

"We can't front cash for the upbringing of a hanyou Murashu, it just isn't acceptable."

"Insurance isn't needed she won't get sick and can heal fast, and Kagome can educate her. We do plan on keeping her out of sight."

"That's not enough. Listen, if my bosses knew their hard earned money was going towards the food that is consumed by a hanyou they'd flip and I'd be out of a job. Ever heard of a resort called Evergreen Terrace?"

The small shreds of Sesshoumaru's fake politeness was now gone.

"She'd die there, and don't lie to me by saying there are orphanages and such. I have a half brother who lives there and his seen infants traded in drug deals just to be sold and fed to wild brainless youkai. You will not suggest such a fate for my daughter."

Not liking the tone Murashu was taking and very aware this demon could snap his neck in seconds the man put his finger on a button. All youkai employed to work in society had chips in their body, and if one of these buttons were pressed the nearest demon would be paralyzed temporarily.

"I'm sorry about this Murashu, but rules are rules. This firm doesn't want to support a hanyou in anyway shape possible, and since the firm pays for everything you own and protects you I would say you have a decision to make."


	5. Perhaps Normalcy

Serenity Trails Chapter 4: Perhaps Normalcy 

**Author: **TamashaToko

**Rating: **M (so far for language and drugs)

**Pairing: **Sess/Kag San/Mir/Inu

**Notes: **…what do you want me to say? I just bought a PS2, yeah I know the rest of you are going next gen, but right now I'm addicted to the classics meaning a lot of time consuming rpgs…therefore you should understand why I haven't updated in a while. Oh and writers block and plotting what I'm going to do with Silver Tree Academy…a lot of things, but I promise I'll be good.

It had been months since the slaughter of countless demon slayers, but the government was still big on executing deserters so she remained hidden in Inuyasha's home much to her dismay. A lot had changed since that way, which was really putting a damper on everyone's situation. Well, at least the hanyou living in the streets had something to celebrate since the army was recruiting them and rewarding them with citizenship in the human realm.

"They will all be slaughtered like cows on acid," Inuyasha said as he returned home covered with a few new bruises, "I'm done trying to talk sense into those idiots."

Sango now agreed with her friend that their government wasn't planning on any of the new hanyou recruits surviving the next battle, but to insure signing up wasn't seen as just a voluntary gesture the check points were closed and those who had no intention of serving were forbidden from leaving. This only made things more difficult all around, especially for Sango, because now she would be forever stuck here at risk that the check point guards would see her.

"We just have to keep praying your wrong," Sango said even though she had no faith in anything anymore.

"Feh, don't count on that. Think about it, you served a country that was all for letting that kid starve to death in the streets because of what it is, why not kill off the rest of us half-breeds while they're at it?"

It was lucky that Sango had been here and had no intention of leaving, or Sesshoumaru never would have left Evergreen without his child. Hell, he probably would have rather killed his own daughter rather than leave her with his only living relative until finding out more safety would be offered now with this decision than previously offered.

So now Inuyasha's shabby home housed a demon slayer, himself, the one-month old Amelia, and his recliner. _Just great._

"Total bullshit," Sango started in the moment she saw her roommate light up something that definitely wasn't a cigarette.

"Not this shit again," he growled tired of her anti-drug spew.

"I can care less about you now because arguing with you is like ranting to a rock, but isn't kind of low for even you to go spend money on drugs while your niece doesn't even have a blanket."

"Welcome to poverty, it sucks doesn't it? Try bunking up with some other hanyou if you don't like it."

"But with what you spent on-

"I stole this shit so don't you worry about it. Couldn't buy any of it if I wanted too, not a damn penny to my name right now."

They really were in a bad position as of late. Before Inuyasha's money came from small grunt work or dirty jobs supplied by humans, but now he didn't have any access to that with the borders off to him. What they did have, which was nothing but flour for making crappy bread and baby formula, had all been paid for by reselling stolen drugs. He wasn't even making anything off that right now since his customers knew who it was stolen from and used black mail to get a low price.

Inuyasha put the flame out in his supplement before stashing it away on a shelf; he couldn't even enjoy getting high anymore with Sango always giving him that look and the baby crying all the time. He definitely wasn't going to go outside in that madness, so he was stuck. Never before had he missed Kikyo as much as he did now. He really needed to get laid…

"So it was just Sesshoumaru who dropped Amelia off?" she asked.

"He did it when Kagome was asleep to make it easy on her," he sat in his chair, "I guess she hasn't been the same since she found out the baby had to go; not that you care."

"And what's that suppose to mean?"

"You claim Kagome is your friend but do you ever talk about her or pick up the phone?"

"I'm sort of living in exile right now."

"What the fuck ever, I saw how you looked t her and Sesshoumaru at the wedding. You can't stand demons nor the fact that your friend would be involved with them for the rest of her life."

"You don't even know me."

"Then don't lecture me about shit that doesn't matter to you, and for the love for kami earn your fucking keep and shut that baby up!"

Sango sighed as she began to rock Amelia back and forth. It had been this way for the last four days now. Anytime she made an attempt to confront Inuyasha about anything he brought up how racist she was. If she planned on making this a good environment for Amelia; she owed Kagome at least that much.

"Let me see your arm," she then asked him.

"What? Fuck that!"

Not listening to him she still walked forward, "Roll up your sleeves."

"Just leave me alone woman, the baby's crying again."

She laid the infant down on the floor for a second as she grabbed Inuyasha by the arm to yank up the sleeve.

"Get away from me!" he growled, "I can snap you in half."

"But then you wouldn't have a babysitter, sit still!"

It wouldn't be hard to fling her into the wall, but Inuyasha was a bit surprised by how much strength she did have. Though he'd been by her side during that last one-sided battle from hell he often times forgot she was a slayer trained to combat demons. Not that she stood a chance against him, but still he was impressed.

"Inuyasha?" she then asked noticing he'd been staring at her intensely, "ummm…you- uh…"

"Sorry," he apologized looking away.

"Sorry for what?"

"Staring at you…" He began before he realized how ridiculous he was sounding, "your so ugly…"

"That's nice," she sighed, but was still confident that's not what he meant, "I noticed you came back with scratches."

Of course why did she even bother, it was already pinkish from healing the way demon wounds did, but she did notice a lot of punctures. Clearly he'd been shooting up, and with some extreme substances that would poison mortals since it was strong enough to leave marks in his invincible skin.

He just growled taking his arm away. He didn't know if those marks were what she was studying or not, but due to the look she was getting he was forced into feeling ashamed.

"Don't judge me," he then harshly growled standing up forcing her to fall backward a bit.

"I wasn't doing anything Inuyasha," she then picked up the baby again once the crying started, "damn, I think she has an ear ache."

"Sesshoumaru said he'd try to and send us some cash, but I doubt it since there's no mail and unless he plans on dumping another child out here his not allowed near the check points."

"His finances are probably being watched or he would have left some, and I doubt there are any clinics here anyway. What do we do if she gets really sick?"

That was it…he was ready to snap. Maybe being sober just wasn't for him.

"Just shut the fuck up Sango! If she gets sick and dies at least you fucking tried, its called survival and it's all we can do."

There was then an eerie silence. He was right, there was no point in even thinking about what to do when there were no options, but why did he have to be so crude about it? It didn't help that Amelia's small cries played in the background reminding them that there would be no end to their issues.

He turned around towards the door, "Sorry Sango, things just aren't working out. I'm going to maybe try and pawn my smokes off for a few quarters or something, try and sleep okay?"

Sango nodded though she doubted it would happen with the crying baby, but at least she was discovering a little more every day that her roommate did have a soul. Still, though Inuyasha did have his rare, _very rare_, nice moments she missed Miroku holding on to her and telling her it would be okay.

The hanyou gave her one last glare before exiting his home just to regret that. He was quickly given glares by his neighbors that boasted their position in the army, even while digging in the garbage for food.

It was good though, it seemed as though they'd given up on torturing him today and went back to their conversations. Not wanting to go back inside to the wench and the baby he just leaned against the door listening to pointless conversations.

"Do we get guns?"

"Humans use guns, they want our claws you dumb shit!"

"As long as they feed us I don't care, and then I'm going to get out of this shit hole."

"Mommy!"

Inuyasha's amber eyes traveled to a small hanyou child crying on a corner. This hadn't been the first time the mother had abandoned that kid on these dangerous streets while she smoked on the street corner with her skanky friends.

If Amelia could even survive would she turn out to be like that kid? Still alone and having to fend for herself at such a young age?

Though Sango pissed him off to no end he didn't plan on letting her go anywhere. He was going to protect his niece, but he wasn't the type who could feed and rock baby. As long as Sango was around a horrible future like that wouldn't befall the child.

"Shut the hell up!" the kid was told by someone in passing.

His eyes then widened at the sight of the burly hanyou with sharp green eyes and buzzed cut blonde hair…that bastard.

Seeing that sight though was lucky. Inuyasha had just found a way to score himself a little cash, but the problem was he wasn't exactly going into friendly territory.

Though there was money in Evergreen there were no stores or anyway of getting supplies, unless of course someone wanted to sell their soul to the devil. Down the street there was a large warehouse ran by a tiger hanyou named Aryo who bought food and supplies for cheap then sold them for more, or traded them for services.

Before finding many possibilities for easy money in the human realm Inuyasha always worked for Aryo, but due to some funds missing and less drugs being traded he'd found himself on his old boss' hit list, but he had to do something or Sango and Amelia could just kiss their lives good-bye.

Though Inuyasha didn't exactly value his life at the moment he approached the tiger cautiously, noticing those huge ass muscles and fangs that were hidden by long dark bangs.

"How dare you show your face here," he growled, "I should snap you in half."

During Aryo's threats he eyed the warehouse seeing if the stock had diminished due to the town's latest hardships. It was bigger than ever with blankets, soda, cartons of food, and bricks of human and demon narcotics a like.

"I need work."

"You and every other draft dodging son of a bitch in my midst."

"I don't see your lazy signing up."

"Rather stay here with my profits and make sure shit heads like you don't rip me off."

Inuyasha growled, "It was fucking three-years-ago, I'm desperate."

"Well I'm not."

"I know where your good friend Ula is."

Aryo's eyes then lit up at the mention of that name. Ula, the man Inuyasha had seen on the streets before coming here, use to work with Aryo when they made fake Ids that hanyou could use to fake being human, or passes so they could leave, but Ula betrayed his partner and alerted the slayers to what was going on. Ever since then Ids were obsolete since machines could scan thumbprints and passes were given special barcodes and hidden to prevent counterfeiting, destroying a lot of Aryo's income.

"Oh, and where would my old friend be Inuyasha? I thought after giving the slayers insightful information like he did he would be living far away from here."

"Beats me, I can care less what his been up to."

"Where did you see him."

"None of your business, as long as I know that's all that matters."

"I see, so you have his scent then."

"His somehow changed it since back in the day, but yeah."

Aryo paced a bit before opening up a box and tossing one of the contents to Inuyasha. It was an already charged digital camera, not worth much since nobody had a computer and the only place it could be pawned off to was back to Aryo himself.

"I don't care how it's done, just get me a picture when you're done."

"What's in it for me?"

"Maybe I'll trust you again."

"Your trust doesn't mean shit to me, I just need some provisions and I promise our paths won't cross again."

"Very well, bring me a picture and you can have whatever in the hell you want."

"Your not going to fuck me are you?"

The tiger just growled before Inuyasha nodded and took his leave. They weren't on the best of terms right now, but Aryo had never tricked anyone unless it came to buying a product for more than it was worth.

When the hanyou soldiers were distracted with bragging in the streets again Inuyasha began to follow the scent he'd picked up earlier. He had a job to do.

Kagome was dead.

Or so it seemed like, if she were being sought out by someone with an interest in zombies.

He could understand why she was being like this; not eating and just laying in bed all day since she just gave up her first born child, but how long could this last? He thought time would mend this issue, but apparently it wasn't, and if she got sick because of it that would mean a failure on his part.

It wasn't as though he didn't miss his child, he just never seen the point of mourning anything when it wouldn't make a difference. They should just be lucky Amelia was being watched out for now rather than left in the streets to die.

"The maid service ends today," Sesshoumaru spoke sternly placing another dish on a dirty pile in the sink.

Due to her hardship he'd hired her some help for the cooking and cleaning; not that she'd done any of it. He could afford to keep the maids on for as long as he wished, but he had a wife for all those purposes and it was time she snapped out of this. If time wasn't going to heal her reminding her of her place was.

"Did you hear me Kagome?"

She sat across the table staring down at her coffee showing no reaction.

"Kagome," his voice sounded like ice, "you will not ignore me."

"I'm not ignoring you Sesshoumaru."

"I expect this house to be clean when I return for dinner, a meal that you yourself will be eating."

No answer.

"Kagome?"

"What?" her tone was annoyed, something that didn't please him.

Before she could make a move his claws wrapped around her wrist to make sure she was paying attention.

"I'm not bluffing Kagome. I want the chores and the shopping done, do you understand me?"

"And do you understand that I'm not one of those housewives on the TV, things don't work like that. I'm not in the mood and we can afford maid service; your friends at the human resources department will allow that, but god-forbid a hanyou goes without starving to death!"

His grip tightened.

"If we had defied my boss not only would I be without a job, but we would be sent off to the forest or executed, both of those options would result in your death."

"I'd be better off…"

His claws had dug into her skin now and she was bleeding, but he didn't care.

"You won't get that wish. I don't have the time to get married again."

He knew how harsh that sounded. Though it was true just how expendable his bride was their marriage license wasn't the only thing, in his opinion, that should prevent her from living. He needed to be cruel though, when he was it brought the Kagome he knew back out of that empty shell of a body. If being cruel was what he had to do to save her then he would do it.

It didn't matter anyway. She knew he wanted her to play the part of the tame wife, and it wasn't as though this would hurt her feelings. Any emotion she once held for him that was positive had probably dissolved the moment he spoke of their child's fate.

"Rather that never happened either. Why couldn't you just marry a demon and have a demon child instead of doing this when you knew damn well what would happen!"

It was working; she was coming back to him.

"That's the past. Next week you are getting prepped for your surgery and then you'll be a full youkai able to care for my child."

That struck a cord. The way he said it made Amelia sound expendable as well. That one didn't work out so they would just have another.

Though he indeed wanted to the family he'd desired he wasn't going to say it out loud because of this reason right here. He had to though…he had to bring her back.

"Shut up," she tried to conceal her tears.

He'd gotten what he wanted.

Sesshoumaru released her back into her chair figuring the faster he went to work so she could experience her emotions the better. He turned around reaching for his suitcase trying not to look at his wrecked wife.

"The chores will be done," he said once more.

"Fuck you!"

He almost stopped. That harsh word seemed really foreign coming from her voice. If it weren't for the existence of the TV he'd be puzzled with wherever she learned that type of language from.

"The discussion is closed."

"Why do you treat me like this? Is it because your some egotistical sexist or is this what you were raised with, or not raised with? Did your mother abandon you or beat you or something emotionally scaring like that causing you to be a prick."

His hand was to her throat now. It happened so quickly he couldn't even remember if he'd ran or used his youkai speed to do it. He rose her above eye level not caring how much oxygen she had access to or the fact that her damn tiger cub was growling in the corner.

"You don't speak about my parents," he roared eyes turning a tint of red, "or anything you don't know about, do you understand?"

It was hard, but he loosened his grip a little hoping for the answer he wanted.

"Do you understand?"

She nodded, and he let her fall to her chair for the second time that day. It only took a few seconds before he calmed down and regretted what he had done. He swore to himself he'd never treat her with violence and within a minute he scratched her arm and almost strangled her.

He would never apologize though. It was her fault for bringing back the memories of that stupid wench who had once called herself his mother.

He left without another word.

She was left there alone, not that she'd ever been otherwise.

After a bit more sulking Suvjo finally grew tired off it all and nudged her wanting a walk. She hated Sesshoumaru, but his little attack on her seemed to be waking her up. Her life was ruined, her daughter had been taken from her, but there was nothing anyone could do. She should have been just counting her blessings that Amelia was alive.

"Sorry," she apologized to her pet still feeling defeated, "Let's go outside."

She could do this. She could pick up life again. Amelia would be okay, she was with Sango.

Kagome kept repeating this information to herself as she leashed her tiger and went around the block. As usual everyone pretty much ignored her except for Amara, who waved to her from her beautiful garden.

Would she really go to Amara to become a demon? Once it was done they would just pretend nothing happened and start again?

That was what disturbed her about it all.

And she would do it for what? So Sesshoumaru could be happy? Why was it okay for her to be completely miserable in exchange for him maybe one day having a smile on his face?

He would never even have that.

Why do anything for him? He loved treating her like a slave when it was unnecessary and he held his reputation above all things when there was no one to impress except greedy humans that took advantage of him. Screw him!

Suvjo began to pull on his leash a little like he usually did on this part of the street. The only part of Serenity Trails that wasn't gated was the woods that bordered it. It was kept so trees could be chopped down for firewood, not that anyone had a real fireplace, just expensive fake ones. It was pretty big though…big enough to get lost in.

Rather than resisting Suvjo's pulls like she normally did Kagome followed ignoring the fact that she was walking through someone's yard. It wasn't long until she reached the trees and kept going deeper. She didn't stop until she couldn't see any of the matching houses from her neighborhood anymore.

Why go back? Maybe she could keep walking until she made it back home. There was a bit of forest by the deli her mom use to shop at. Maybe there was an off chance it was all connected and she could make it there, and then home. Why would he even bother to get her? He didn't care if she lived or died.

At some point along the way Suvjo's leash disappeared from her hand and he'd gone exploring. He'd come back soon enough, and maybe it didn't matter. She wasn't going back. Not to him…never again!

Kagome sat down on the ground next to log just lost in thought. Her freedom, her child, and her dignity had all been the cost of marrying Sesshoumaru. Something she didn't even want…

She never got a chance to check the mirror, maybe he'd left a mark on her face and she could claim abuse to get out of this.

Time went by… before she knew it her eyes were closed and her thoughts were claimed by dreams as the rain started.

Blood.

Inuyasha watched as red colored water washed down the street with the rain. He'd just committed murder and as usual felt nothing.

The rude hanyou he'd seen in the street today was now dead. It had been quick, a claw attack in the back of the head when his guard was down.

Still…it was a gruesome sight.

He even cringed a little at his work as he seen it through the camera getting the picture Aryo desired.

"It's done," he later said when returning to the warehouse.

Hearing that praise made him regret taking advantage of Aryo a few years back. There was always good work and rewards here. Maybe if he could just be considered again he would be protected and able to provide for his so-called 'family' he'd acquired by acting against his now obvious cruel nature.

"What is it that you want?" the tiger hanyou asked.

"Work."

"So you can rob me when I'm blind? I'd consider it, but with the borders closed up I have no flow meaning no work."

He growled in anger.

"Naraku might be looking though. A lot of his people are joining the army."

"Fuck that! Due to that son of a bitch not knowing shit about his load he killed Kikyo and-

"That? Listen Inuyasha there's something you need to know. Naraku once told me about that little situation and I can tell you it was no accident."

There was another growl. Naraku had killed Kikyo on purpose? Why? Before that night the purchase was made the two had never met.

He wanted to kill the bastard…he would kill the bastard.

"Before moving into this dump with you I'm afraid the lady borrowed some money- a lot of money."

He knew what that meant. Naraku was a loan shark known for wanting a lot more back than just money with interest. Once someone borrowed from him they were destined to never be free of him.

Of course he still wanted revenge, but would it be hypocritical of him? Kikyo owed Naraku and refused to pay, therefore killing her was all apart of business. Could he really say anything against it when he'd just committed murder moments ago all for the same reason?

No it was different.

It had to be. The bastard he killed was a traitor with no family and the world was better off all together with out him. Kikyo wouldn't hurt a fly though, and she always had him. It wasn't the same.

But now he was curious. What did she do with the money she borrowed. She'd been homeless when he found her, but it couldn't have been drugs. Borrowing those off of Naraku and paying it back would have been so much easier than getting a large sum of money.

"Aryo why did you never off me?" he then asked, "it's all just business isn't it? I screwed up your business."

"I thought about it, but then I realized you're a pretty good guy when you want to be. That and you're worthless. By killing that fuck Ula not only have you brought me personal satisfaction, but you've insured he won't screw anyone else over. You have no position of power that needs to be dealt with, nor ever will."

"That's nice of you I guess," he shrugged a bit annoyed, though the words were true. It was better this way, no one would miss him when he was gone.

Aryo smiled before going through a pile on his desk, "Still shoot up? This stuff hits you hard in the morning, but it's worth it."

Inuyasha knew exactly what drug he was referring to before getting a look in his eye that was almost close to that as a kid in a candy store.

"So how about it?"

"Yeah sure, but I still need a few things. Do you have a blanket or crib or anything? My friend and me are looking out for my niece. Stupid ass proper brother fucked his human wife without thinking of the consequences."

"Poor kid. Sure, I'll have one of these gangster wannabe shit heads get the stuff ready for you," he told him before laying out the needles.

Getting high and wandering the streets was not a wise idea. Especially when his neighbors weren't fans of him due to his ware beliefs and the fact that he killed off what could have been a promising solider in the streets.

Still, who was he to pass up such a great offer?

Luckily he did have enough common sense to stay away from home when he was that high. Sometimes he went out of control and could hurt Sango and the baby, that and he really didn't want to fuck Sango like the voices in his head were tempting him to do.

Waking up had been the problem though. He was somewhere near the railroad when his head ached and his hands trembled on their own.

Not to mention everything he did yesterday was all for nothing.

He couldn't remember how wonderful the drugs felt, even though he knew getting them again would be worth it for it would be impossible to function otherwise, and the crib Aryo gave him was gone. He accidentally left it lying somewhere last night and now it was gone. Probably firewood for another drug addict that wasn't as lucky as him to have a home to return too.

Sango was still asleep in his chair with Amelia wrapped in her arms when he returned. As quietly as he could he made his way to the sink wanting to wash away the blood that soaked his hands.

"Mother fucker!"

No water came out of the faucet. Not even a drip.

Evergreen had always had fresh running water. The government had made sure to always provide that to make it look as though being forced to live in this place wasn't cruel and unusual. This was probably just another way to draft more hanyou.

Sango must have been exhausted, his cursing didn't even stir her.

Amelia on the other hand opened up her piercing golden eyes and gave him a serious stare; she seemed to have inherited a lot from her father.

"It's okay," Inuyasha picked her up not wanting her to cry continue the bedlam he'd started.

It was then that he realized this had been the first time he picked up his niece, or any child for that matter. He always thought he'd crush them, that and there wasn't too many around here. Not many children could survive on these streets. He knew without his mother he would have definitely been on that death toll.

"What is it?" he asked her as she put her small little clawed hand on to his.

That sight was almost unbearable. Her hand was white and smooth, looking almost pure against his blood dirt caked palm.

Last night he murdered, got high, and lost her something she needed. It wasn't right. Did she know that he wronged her so much?

"It won't happen again," he whispered to her, "I promise."

Now it seemed as though she smirked at him. Couldn't be Sesshoumaru's daughter, he'd always been incapable of such things.

But could he keep the promise?

He couldn't give up the drugs nor did he have any intention. His body was not in a state that could handle those withdrawals, and without it he had lost the escape he often times needed.

So now he only had one goal, which was not being a dumbass.

"Hungry?" he asked as his ears picked up the small grumbling in her tummy, "let's see if I can figure this out."

Without his knowledge he was being watched.

Sango lay there with one eye open trying not to laugh at him unable to deceiver the formula box.

Here they were in a shoebox sized apartment with hardly any food and no water at all, but still it felt warm. Maybe they could all be happy here.

**AN: **Sorry that this chapter seemed a little short and clunky, but it basically lays down stuff everyone needs to know and starting next chapter things will go back to normal with Sesshoumaru and Kagome, there just wasn't much I could do with her at the moment.

In AP english I just got done reading The Doll House, and I think I'm going to put some of those elements of that story into this one when it comes to Kag and Sess, and for anyone who knows what I'm talking about you've probably figured out Naraku might be our Krogstad, just not as nice.


	6. Adjustments

Chapter 6

Adjustments

She wasn't insane.

She was depressed, but not crazy depressed.

Her daughter was forced to live in the slums just a couple days after she was born, she'd probably never see her again, and she was the one being punished.

Most people who committed suicide were locked up in mental health facilities for three days at the most. Kagome wished she **could** be locked up somewhere. It would be a break from the madness she'd married into. Sesshoumaru, probably not wanting his precious human resources to see an asylum bill, simply kept her in bed, wrists restrained by cloth handcuffs.

She didn't even really try and commit suicide, she just sort of ran out into the middle of the woods and crumbled up into a ball talking about how she'd like to. She had no idea how she got back here, if Sesshoumaru was the one who collected her or not, but right now she preferred the forest.

When Sesshoumaru came into the room she'd just cuss him out as he temporarily released her to go to the bathroom before restraining her again without a single word. Good, Kagome didn't want to talk to him. When they got married he explained nothing and gave her no warning about how society wanted them to be, and now she was paying the price for defying the norms placed in front of her.

She blamed the firm, she blamed society, but Sesshoumaru was the tangible thing she could hate at the moment. All they could be in a world like this was prepared, and he, the big strong demon he claimed to be, couldn't even be that. On the sixth day of Kagome being restrained she knew today was her independence day and the day she reigned hell upon this whole household, because Sesshoumaru would have used up all his vacation days by this point.

Demons, using their vacation days to keep their mates tied up and miserable, what more could she expect?

Sesshoumaru on the other hand was treating this matter as serious as possible. He didn't blame Kagome for the feelings she was feeling, the whole event had been traumatic, but at the end of the day her being depressed and feeling the need to harm herself didn't change anything. The situation was horrible, he was to blame for it, but her continuing to lie around and cry like she'd been doing would not fix it.

"Feel that?" Kagome threatened the moment Sesshoumaru returned to the bedroom, "I've been saving it up just to punch you in the face."

Kagome was talking about her miko aura that was gathering and storing energy. She could have showed violence against him the few times he'd freed her to bathe and dress, but she did nothing because she was harboring so much resentment she wanted to attack him with as much force as possible.

"Your anger is understandable Kagome," Sesshoumaru stared at her not changing his expression, "but striking your caregiver is disrespectful."

"For someone who talks about honor and gender roles as much as you do shouldn't you be lining up to take this attack! You failed Sesshoumaru! You failed as a caregiver, you failed as a father, and overall you failed as a life form."

"I'm not disagreeing. It is still very disrespectful. I apologize for striking you when I did before you left. Though there are a lot of demons with violence in their relationships I told myself this would not be one of those relationships. I've made a mistake and will atone for it somehow, but not this way Kagome…"

The miko rage grew more. Wasn't Sesshoumaru proving himself, and that he was taking Kagome's concerns seriously? If this had been 5 months ago, Sesshoumaru would have been tearing her clothes off and taking her with as much animalistic rage as possible to keep to subdue her aura. Kagome had a right to be angry, so he'd just let her build it up.

If she hurt him today, he deserved it, but still he'd rather that not happen, because she might get confused and think she could strike her mate at any time, which wouldn't be acceptable.

"You think this little 'I'm sorry' act is going to work on me Sesshoumaru? I hate you. If I actually studied how to use my power I could probably muster up enough strength to kill you, but killing you won't bring Amelia back."

Kagome needed her hands to attack her mate, so Sesshoumaru took advantage of her position and put both legs either side of her chest as his face was against her own. He'd never admit it, but when he thought she was lost and never coming back it felt like a sword had stabbed him. He couldn't lose her. Her being this angry and destructive reminded him of the Kagome he respected; he was close to having her back.

"Not eating, sleeping all day, and going off into the woods alone won't bring Amelia back either," Sesshoumaru whispered into her ears, "I can understand the first few days Kagome your body didn't know what to do with all these emotions, but time for you to use logic. You gave birth to a demon blooded child, you should have a natural bond with her. I need your help Kagome. I need to find a way to help Amelia indirectly and I can't make a plan with you being depressed."

"I'D BE LESS DEPRESSED IF YOU'D TAKE THESE RESTRAINS OFF!"

Sesshoumaru….

How dare he…

How could he?

When Kagome accepted her fate as the mistreated housewife and began to enjoy Sesshoumaru's presence a little her one goal for him was to actually smile. She was never able to accomplish that… but right now…

He was smiling about something; he almost looked like he was ready to laugh. Now was not the time. Her life was destroyed, and he was smiling.

"I was going to remove the restraints along time ago, but I knew what you were doing with your miko energy. If you're really going to hit me Kagome I want you to mean it. If you hate me so much you wish to strike your mate I don't want you to waste it with just a few sparks. If you really want to do this, do it right."

Instead of undoing the straps that kept her in bed he gently used his claws to completely destroy them, meaning he was done restraining her. She sat up as he calmly stayed in front of her. She knew she had enough negative energy in her aura, and if he didn't defend himself she could seriously hurt him.

All the anger she'd been building up…

All the hate….

"Damn you Sesshoumaru," she closed her eyes as she just dismissed it and her aura was back to normal.

Sesshoumaru seemed surprised, "Did I guilt you?"

Did he? Not really, and she still believed all this misery was his fault, but he brought up a good point. If they were going to be stuck together they didn't want their home they shared to bring up memories of violence. He'd apologized for what he did to her, and if he regretted it that meant Sesshoumaru wasn't a soulless monster. He was just a creature that didn't let his emotions get the best of him if it didn't solve anything.

"I know dominating me when my energy was that high would have been a great conquest for you," Kagome glared, "so instead I just decided to let go of it all together so you have nothing to please yourself to once my attack is over."

"You're a difficult one," Sesshoumaru sighed getting up putting a hand on her shoulder. It felt nice.

Sesshoumaru was happy… he felt like he had his mate back.

He couldn't lose her again.

"Amelia is healthy and alive," he told her knowing news like that would soothe aches and pains that built up in her stomach, "the check points make it so we can't visit her, but I now have an associate who can travel between the slums and here. In exchange for a new SVU, that the firm assumes I gave away to a human charity as a tax write off and reputation booster, he'll keep watch over Inuyasha and Sango and make sure no harm befalls our child Kagome."

Kagome still frowned and Sesshoumaru lifted her chin, "You won't see her first smile, her first walk, or do that tooth fairy thing you humans do… but she won't hate you. I tossed us in a horrible scenario, and we picked the best option possible. This is all we can do, and I promise you nothing is going to happen to our child Kagome. Please say you believe me."

Kagome could hear the desperation in his voice. It was finally the last thing she needed to hear to pull her out of the dark world she'd been living in this whole time. He was admitting he was wrong and he didn't want to lose her.

"Did you take off the restrains just so you can send me to the kitchen and ask what time dinner is?" Kagome asked quietly.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, "While I've had you locked up me and Suvjo have taken a liking to pizza. I do grow a bit weary of it, but one more night will not kill us."

"At least Suvjo is okay," Kagome sighed wondering what happened to her in the woods that night and how Sesshoumaru found her, but it was best not to bring it up, "don't feed the tiger pizza."

"I've been programmed from birth to be a 'tool' as you called me and do what I need to do to provide when I'm not being the savage demon I was brought up to be," Sesshoumaru said as he almost cradled her, "I don't have enough room in my brain to process how this house works. I've destroyed half my laundry Kagome and I require more clothes."

"Just because I'm female am I programmed to know how to do all the 'female' chores?" she asked him with a sigh, "I'd never done chores a day in my life before I was brought here you know?"

"Exactly, which is why I tried doing this stuff on my own without hiring a maid. I thought it would be easy for you to adapt, I could just mold you into whatever I wanted, and clearly you humans are better at adapting."

"Sesshoumaru are you trying to guilt me into cleaning the house? I know it's my job in exchange for the things you do… but don't make me feel guilty because I haven't been in the mood and I've spent most of the time strapped in this bed."

Sesshoumaru stood up ready to leave this room it was getting stuffy, almost as though a small aura of negativity still remained, "I'm not doing anything of the sort. I know you dislike me, but there have been a few times of us being together that you've smiled and been happy. Due to the outside world not understanding your position you can't leave, clearly you are incapable of walking your pet tiger very far, and the cable bill has gone to waste since you don't watch TV. About all you do around here is chores, and if you go back to doing that, maybe it can be like before, and you'll smile."

"Nope you're tricking me. Is this some housewife propaganda? I obviously am good at simple housework so I must be happy serving you?"

He shook his head, "I misspoke and it clearly came out wrong. No one likes doing dishes, no one likes doing laundry, but it's the other things you do. You made this house a home, I want to come here when I'm done dealing with those stupid humans. You know you've done a great job. It makes you happy. Our daughter is safe and will remain safe, all you can do now is just be happy again."

"You make no sense and you're odd Sesshoumaru," Kagome finally got out of bed and trailed out into the hallway, "I don't understand you, and I'm sure somehow I should feel insulted by you, but overall it's kind of sweet."

Sesshoumaru wasn't lying. He actually had tried doing the house work to put himself in her shoes. He must have actually cared about her well being and thought about her a lot to even entertain the thought. She had a lot on her plate right now, and to add insult to energy she'd have to buy new clothes.

Laying in laundry basket was a lot of her blouses that had pink stains in them from clearly being mixed with the wrong colors. Amelia was safe, but yet out of Kagome's hands right now. All she could do was make this home happy again so her and Sesshoumaru could heal.

"A. M. E. I. L. A"

Was put on the refrigerator door using alphabet magnets. The small clawed hand that did greedily grabbed for her juice box as reward when she'd correctly spelled her name.

"Good job," Sango smiled getting on her knees and patting the small hanyou on the head, "you're so smart Amelia. Not even uncle Inuyasha can do that."

A growl was heard from the living room as a golden eyed Inuyasha starred at them from the comfort of his recliner. He didn't know what he was more impressed by, an oppressed abandoned hanyou actually wanting to learn, or the fact that they had a refrigerator that wasn't stolen yet.

3 years had passed, they still lived in the slums, they were still in hiding due to being draft dodgers, and Inuyasha couldn't go a single day without being high, but things weren't that bad. They were in a new home, one that was hidden from the hanyou soilders and demon slayers in the mountain side of Evergreen. It wasn't that big they all shared the living room together, but the door locked, they had enough food for one big meal a day, and a fresh supply of running water.

Inuyasha wanted to kill himself for a while, because he'd finally made a deal with the devil. From what he understood his brother's idiot wife decided to go run off into the forest and fall asleep making herself a target for who knows what. Naraku, the drug dealer on the top of Inuyasha's shit list, was actually the one who found her and returned her to Sesshoumaru. Naraku was a shape shifter, so it was easy for him to sneak past the check point. Sesshoumaru knew Naraku was their only hope…. Sesshoumaru sent whatever he could across the border and Inuyasha was able to receive it. All Naraku asked for in return was for Inuyasha to break the bones of some of the druggies that had a debt they weren't paying off.

Naraku would eventually want more than that, and would have probably taken advantage of Sesshoumaru's desperation if he wasn't a terrifying taiyoukai, but the drama was worth dealing with. Inuyasha allowed himself to become servant to the creature that murdered his love….

He did it all for her.

He made a promise to Amelia and he was going to keep it.

She'd have the best life that he could possibly make for her given the circumstances.

"Inu," Amelia mouthed to herself thinking about the right letters, "Yasha."

She rearranged her letters and to Inuyasha's shock got it right. They didn't have cable, there was no kindergarten, and Sango wasn't exactly the best teacher material, but Amelia clearly was picking up whatever she could figure out and was already spelling. Inuyasha knew getting books for the girl wouldn't be hard, since no one around in this part of the world had any use for them.

"What about Sango Amelia?" the former demon slayer asked impressed with how smart the young child already was.

Amelia looked a lot like Inuyasha actually, she didn't have that cold look on her like Kagome's husband seemed to have. She had a long head of white hair with cute little dog ears on top of her head. Her eyes were clearly her mother's soft doe brown eyes.

"Saaan GO!" Amelia yelled excited before she began to throw the magnets on the floor.

"Sugar in the juice has already gotten to her," Sango sighed wishing her name could show up on the fridge for once, "wish your mommy was here Amelia to see how much you've grown."

"Mommy?" Amelia's ears twitched before she smiled already losing her demon baby teeth, which apparently they went through 3 sets before getting their permanents, "you are mommy. Inuyasha is daddy."

Sango shook her head, "No I'm aunt Sango, that's uncle Inuyasha. Your mommy and daddy miss you very much; here want to see what your mommy sent you again?"

The pup looked up excited again as Sango picked her up and went into the living room setting her on her lap. She pulled out a few sheets off white paper as well as a photograph of Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru didn't look to happy to be in the photo.

"See, that's mommy and that's daddy."

Amelia took this in before pointing at the picture, "Dat mommy and that daddy."

Sango nodded before showing Amelia the papers, "Your mom wrote you a story, and I guess a little girl named Rin, who said she'd like to play with you one day, drew the pictures."

Amelia seemed mesmerized by the pictures as Sango told the story Kagome wrote. It was about princess Amelia who was captured by an evil wizard and forced to live in a castle of ice, until a white knight came to save her after battling an ice dragon and returned her to her family.

"Figures," Sango rolled her eyes playing with Amelia's ears, "your mom read a couple of fantasy books and went through this whole dragon phase once. She was mad because she'd never seen a real dragon before and yet I was going out killing them… well at least demons that looked like dragons."

"Mamma," Amelia called to Sango, and Sango just didn't have the heart to correct her.

"Yes?"

"Why does Rin get to be with my mommy? Why can't I be with my mommy, I like you as mommy. You tell me stories."

"Your mom was the one who wrote it. Amelia your mom loves you very much and you'll be with her again."

"Doubt it."

Right away Sango looked up at Inuyasha with the same pissed off eyes she'd been given him for three years now.

"What is your problem Inuyasha? Do you wake up in the morning and say 'hey since I'm a drug addict loser let me go around and make other people feel bad'?"

He growled, "No. Do you know why Amelia is so smart? Because we don't talk to her like she's a fucking child and she learns to understand, so don't ruin all of our progress by talking in baby speak with colorful pictures. It's a harsh world out there Amelia, if we weren't around, and uncle Inuyasha didn't go around breaking bones you'd be eaten alive by a demon by now."

Amelia's ears lowered knowing that the demons that lived in the forest, which he was clearly talking about, were horrifying and would eat her.

"That's enough Inuyasha!" Sango wasn't making matters better, for someone who preached about how to handle raising the little girl she almost contributed to the fights that took place in their household.

"When I was two years older than her I was expected to fight those demons to survive Sango. I didn't have no demon slayer holding my hand telling me about princesses in castles. She's a demon and soon she'll need to go out to learn how to fight, so if something does happen to us she can protect herself. You're human you don't understand."

Amelia seemed to understand a bit more than Sango did. Even at such a young age she had demon blood coursing through her veins and there was a lot of pent up energy. She would need an outlet soon.

Amelia grabbed the story book paper and threw it all to the ground cept one page. "Uncle Inuwasha?"

"Inuyasha," he corrected not talking in baby voice at all like Sango would, "and don't you forget it missy."

Amelia pointed to the picture with her claws, "Inuyasha, you white knight?"

Inuyasha just smiled in victory when his niece finally acknowledged him for what he truly was.

"Inuyasha is no knight," Sango rolled her eyes.

Amelia was actually the one that glared this time, "Yes he is, and don't you forget it missy!"

"Okay I think it's time for a nap," Sango picked her and began to stack some blankets giving her a place to rest, "great Inuyasha first we start with something cute like that and next thing you know she'll be sniffing powder off the bathroom floor."

The second the little girl was hiding under her blanket and ready to go to slumber land Inuyasha stood up completely pissed.

"Sango you're a real bitch you know that? When I get high you give me shit for not caring about my niece, when I have a good moment with my niece you continue to hound me about getting high. Do you know what I want to do after you bitch at me for that? I really want to get high."

Sango and Inuyasha were both pissed but almost having a whisper fight. They exploded, they had problems, and Inuyasha had a dangerous job, but overall… Amelia always came first. Didn't matter how mad they were. They wouldn't wake up the little angel.

"We aren't in the best situation I know that," Sango replied almost in an over compulsive way cleaning the apartment because she had nothing else to do, "and you've done the best you can possibly do, but Amelia doesn't need to be exposed to it."

"If you were forced to work every single day with the man you hate all so you can get some provisions and not be murdered maybe you'd understand. I've done my best to only take hits when Amelia is sleeping, and I can't exactly be standing around in the middle of the streets high out of my mind. I have too many enemies to do that."

"You talk about these drugs as though they are your best friends, the ones that pull you out of this miserable existence you claim you have."

"Claim? I do have it Sango. You've seen how life is, what came first me taking drugs or being forced to live in this place? I don't have any control over what I was born as, I don't have any control over the government's fear of us, but I do have control of what I put in my body. Mr. Powder, Mr. Needle, and Mr. Bottle of Pills have been my friends since my mom was murdered and trust me they've made the days easier. They are the only things in this world that could possibly make me feel good."

Sango felt a little hurt. She knew he couldn't just quit using cold turkey, his withdrawals would be horrible, but still just the way he openly spoke about it was so disturbing. He made it sound as though there was no hope for him and no happiness in the world. Was she and his niece not enough? Amelia was able to make him smile, and everything he did was for her, but still he felt so alone.

Inuyasha growled when the door to their home was opened and Naraku just walked in as though he owned the place.

"Hey scum of the earth do you mind?"

"It's my property Inuyasha," he spoke calmly paying no mind to the angry hanyou, "I can come and go as I please, and part of our arrangement with my brother I have to check up on his daughter to make sure she is still breathing and hasn't stumbled upon any shikon shards lately."

"You son of a bitch-

"Temper," Naraku mused knowing the life of Inuyasha's little family rested in his hands, "don't want to attract any attention you don't want. Amelia, is her name right? She doesn't seem to be dead, and I've brought the extra provisions, let's do our rounds and get this day over with?"

Inuyasha quietly growled as he went to go get his jacket. He was off to another day of murdering and stealing all so he could remain hidden and receive a box of food once a week.

Naraku took notice of Sango this time, "You seem awfully bored. Being a demon slayer that survived that senseless suicide mission your employers sent you on I'm sure you're powerful. Why not let Inuyasha babysit today and take your anger out on a few worthless hanyou."

"Don't even Naraku," Inuyasha growled, "at least I can move undetected. They smell a human she'll be eaten or shot before she can reach for her weapon."

Sango didn't like this Naraku guy and how every time he came over here he seemed to taunt them with how their lives were in his hands, but she wasn't happy with Inuyasha at the moment.

"You really believe I'm not that weak?"

Whatever he answered with would just lead to a fight when they got back so he gave the neutral answer.

"Feh. I'm out of here. Try and have something ready to eat when I get back, if you can handle it."

The moment the hanyous were out there door Sango had to stop herself from punching a wall. How had she become the ghetto version of Kagome? Keeping a place clean for some man that only gave her troubles.

"Maybe I will clean up and play little homemaker," Sango mused herself as she began throwing various wrappers and bottles in the trash before picking up a bag of some sort of powder Inuyasha usually snorted three times a day and also threw it away, "Whoops silly me."

Mean while on the walk back into the main area of the slums it wasn't long until Inuyasha got into a fight with his superior again.

"Hell no!"

"I'm offering to hire a private tutor for your niece and you treat me with such hostility? Naraku asked, "didn't you have a mother? No one seemed to teach you manners."

"Don't you speak about my mother," he snarled, "and I already know things will turn out bad for me and Sango. You don't do anything for anyone without some sort of price. You have so much power over us it won't be long til you send us to our deaths just for the fun of it."

"As much as the world would be better off without a worthless drug addict such as yourself-

"Says the monster that sells it!"

"I'm a business man who can't gain employment due to being a hanyou just like yourself. This is all I can really do to survive. I don't have the luxury of killing you. You're one of the few hanyous that aren't in that army that are being used as pawns. I don't know about you but being weak isn't one of my strong suits. We can't sit back before."

Did Inuyasha almost gain a piece of respect for Naraku?

"You of all people who benefit off taking advantage of your own race wants to do something?"

"The opportunity hasn't presented itself until now. We have something that will help us win the other hanyou back to our side, and something the humans aren't expected. We will get what is rightfully yours."

"As much as I can't stand your ass, if you're talking about rebellion I'm all for it."

"I have a plan, and that's where you come in. Every strategy I have and every positive conclusion we can draw from this relies on that niece of yours."

Sesshoumaru bought her flowers. He already knew that his bride would accuse him of tricking her or trying to manipulate her to not hating him. That was fine. She usually did put a negative spin on the few nice things he tried to do for her, even if all those nice things just happened to be a copy of what he saw in one of those movies Kagome watched.

Husbands bought their wives flowers when they went through something major right?

He probably would have given her some the day Amelia was born, but because of the circumstances it wouldn't have been appropriate.

She was in the operating room sleeping right now. His eyes scanned her body. Had nothing been done.

"Relax," Amelia told her neighbor as she took her mask off, "I asked her what kind of demon she wanted to be, if she wanted a tail, or ears, I even told her I can make her have the appearance of a taiyoukai so she'll always be respected?"

"And what has become of Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"She is a demon," Amelia responded.

She'd probably done over a thousand surgeries now and she still couldn't believe technology had come this far.

"I don't see any features," Sesshoumaru responded gruffly, "if we have children they will be full demon?"

Amelia nodded, "All she wanted was the blood transfusion. She said things were getting better in her life and she didn't want that to change. She wanted to be the same."

Sesshoumaru was pleased as he ran his claws through Kagome's stuff hair that was a lot more stronger and shinier before. They'd no longer suffer prejudice from the humans when it regarded their offspring, and he wouldn't lose her.

She was still Kagome.

His Kagome.


End file.
